The Dragon's Stone: Book Six
by Lizzaranda
Summary: When a mysterious girl named Elle arives at Camp Half-Blood with an unknown god parent, they find out that her parent isn't just a god at all but something even bigger.Will they stop her old foe and his master plan before the "Doors of Death" are opened?
1. Chapter 1

**I made up this story right after finishing the fifth book of Percy Jackson, so this is a continuation of the series. Also, just a heads up, this fanfic is not in Percy's point of view, it is in the head of a more important role (if you can believe that someone's more important then Percy). I hope you like it. Review and critique please!**

**I do not own Rick's story or his character's, I only own what is mine.**

Chapter 1

I ran along the dark Long island beach as fast as I could. I knew that when I got tired enough I would be helpless against the big bird with fire wings but I still pushed my failing lungs to keep breathing, and my numb legs to keep moving. I ran over what seemed like the hundredth hill and used the momentum to run faster. Suddenly, I couldn't hear the flapping of the birds wings anymore. I quickly glanced back to see if the thing was still coming after me and ran into something. I stumbled back hitting the ground hard.

I used my power to draw water from the ground and I was just about to shoot it at the monster when I looked up and saw it wasn't a monster. I dropped the water and stared in surprise at the teenage boy.

He was sitting on the ground across from where I was sitting, staring at me with a surprised look. He looked to be 15 or maybe 16, maybe a little taller then me. He had beautiful green eyes and shaggy dark hair. He wore an orange T-shirt that said 'Camp Half-blood' on it, what ever that meant, and blue jeans.

I stood and suddenly everything around me changed. Like someone had pulled the wool away from my eyes. Everything was brighter, prettier, and, well, blissful. There were buildings and houses and fields, that weren't there before. All the buildings were wonderfully designed, like nothing I've ever seen before. It was like a summer camp for rich kids. There was volleyball courts and hundreds of kids running around.

I stood there gawking at everything.

When I glanced back at the boy I noticed that behind the boy was a crowd of kids all looking much younger then the boy I ran into, most wearing the same orange shirt. Some looked like super models with make-up piled on their faces. Some looked like bikers with oil splashed on their clothes, muscles bulging like a football players. All of the kids seemed to be in groups, I think some called them "cliques".

"Uh," I said stupidly. I felt like I just crashed a nice summer picnic, which I had actually done before.

A girl walked forward out of the crowd, her blonde hair messy in a ponytail, her orange T-shirt had mud stains as well as her blue jeans. She looked like she'd just taken a dive into the end zone on a muddy football field. "How did you get here?" She said coldly.

I glared at the girl and started to back away, "I don't know." I looked to see if Fire Birdy had turned up or if it was on it's way but all I saw was sunshine and a tree with some kind of monster wrapped around it. It looked like one of the monsters I've fought before and it made me gulp.

A bald guy with a white beard in a wheel chair rolled up beside me and I jumped back. "Hello," He said warmly but I wasn't buying his nice act.

"Are you a half-blood?" one of the campers said from the crowd to my right. What's a half-blood?

"What?" I said.

"Well, what is your name?" the bald guy asked.

I squinted my eyes suspiciously, "You first, Xavier." I said and a bunch of kids in the crowed giggled.

He didn't think it was funny, "My name is Chiron. I am the camp activity planner." Ok, so it is a summer camp?

"Well, I'm Elle." Then I added like usual, "And _don't_ call me Ellie."

Chiron offered to take me to "The Big house" so he could talk to me in private. Naturally I refused. So we talked outside. Or you could say he talked and I glared.

I was still suspicious about him being a monster but stayed just in case he wasn't talking such a great deal of BS, and because whatever this place was it seemed to keep the monsters out. It kind of felt safe here.

He said that half blood is a term meaning half Greek god half human. I almost walked out then, but then he said he thought he knew who my father was.

I crossed my arms, "How could you possibly know who my father is?" I said, a touch of anger in my voice.

"I don't know for certain yet, but I believe that you, Miss Elle, are a daughter of Poseidon. Like Percy here." He gestured to the boy I had run into earlier, who had a _very_ surprised look on his face.

I don't know who these people are, but I don't like them.

**She's NOT really a daughter of Poseidon! Like I said in the story overview, her god parent is something BIGGER then just regular gods. Keep reading to find out. REVIEW!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I almost laughed. How could such a cute guy be named such a geeky name as 'Percy'? I caught myself calling him cute and mentally hit myself on the head.

"How do you suspect that I'm a daughter of 'Poidon'?" The crowd chuckled again. I patted myself on the back. I'm a natural comedy!

Chiron cleared his throat, "That's _Poseidon_. And I suspect that you are a daughter of Poseidon because of how you can manipulate water, again like Percy. Like I said I still don't know for certain yet." I didn't dare tell them of what other powers I had. When they _did _turn out to be monsters I could take them by surprise.

Percy walked forward, "But the gods are supposed to claim their children before they're 13. My dad would never break his promise." He had anger dripping from his voice.

"I know, Percy. But this young lady might look older then she actually is." He looked at me expectantly.

I shrugged, "I don't know for sure but I think I'm close to 15." I showed no emotion, that was one trait monsters hated about me. No emotion equals no weaknesses.

Percy made a face at Chiron as if to say, "See? I told you."

Chiron looked at Percy like he was disappointed, then looked at me, "I will see what I can find out but for now, Elle, you are welcome to stay in the Hermes cabin. Unless Percy wouldn't mind having another camper in the Poseidon cabin?"

The blonde chick behind Percy looked hurt, or mad, I couldn't tell.

Before Percy could give an answer I said, "Wait, wait," And backed away a few steps, "How do I know that you're all not some kind of shape shifting monsters or something?"

The blonde girl, Percy and Chiron all looked at each other as if sharing a secret, then turned to me.

"I promise that we are _not _monsters. The tree over there-" Chiron pointed to the tree with the dragon around it's roots, "will keep all of the monsters out of camp. You are perfectly safe here."

I looked at Chiron suspiciously. If it was a trap I could get out of it, I've gotten away from monsters millions of times and out of traps without getting so much as a scratch, "Fine."

Chiron nodded to Percy and he beckoned me to follow, "I'll take you to the Poseidon cabin. You can bunk with me and Kay."

"Okay, everyone get back to your training!" I heard Chiron yell to the crowd and everyone in unison said, "Awww..."

Percy didn't say anything else until we were out of hearing range from Chiron and the blonde chick. He looked over his shoulder to peer at me and slowed down so I was beside him instead of behind, "How many monsters have you come across out there? I mean you've survived this long so you must be a pretty good fighter, but still it sounds like you've gotten a little paranoid." I took a little offence to that but then he added, "No offence." No, I still took offence.

I nodded, "I've fought too many monsters to count. You must know a lot about them and stuff." I said, suggesting he was a monster, but he didn't seem to get it.

"A little," He smiled a beautiful smile and, as off character as it was, I half smiled back.

We past one big oval of cabins of all different colors and amazing designs and then to a second oval of cabins. Percy led me to a coarse gray stone cabin, studded with pieces of seashell and coral, as if the cabin itself had once been at the bottom of the ocean.

"Here we are. The Poseidon cabin."

He opened the door for me and I walked in. Beds and bunks lined the walls and in the middle of the room was a fountain that looked to be formed purely from rock and seashells, much like the design of the cabin itself.

On one side of the room was a bunk with souvenirs hanging on the wall beside it and I assumed it was Percy's bunk. On the other side of the room lying in a bunk was a little boy. He appeared to be about 13 years old, with brown hair and light green eyes, somewhat like Percy's but a different shade of green. He wore the orange shirt that I had seen so much since I arrived here and faded jeans with holes in the knees.

I wondered when they would make me wear one of those eye-dissolving shirts. I hoped not soon.

The boy quickly jumped from his bunk when he saw me and stepped up to greet me. "Hey, I'm Kay!" He beamed then added happily, "I never get tired of saying that."

"Your not annoying at all." I mumbled quietly and Percy chuckled beside me but Kay didn't hear me. I was partly thankful for that, "I'm Elle. _Not _Ellie."

"Awesome. So, Ellie, you can pick whichever bunk you want. We have plenty of room!" I growled under my breath. I hated it when people called me Ellie. If he did it again I couldn't promise his bunk wouldn't be on the roof in the morning.

I walked over to a bunk two over from Kay's bunk and across from Percy's. I didn't want to get any closer to either of them in case they tried to kill me when I was asleep. I scoped out an escape route if anything went wrong. The window beside my bunk and the door was only a few yards away. I was set, now all I needed was food...

As if reading my mind Percy said, "Lunch is in five. And I would suggest putting this on." He threw me an orange T-shirt and I sighed. I have a perfectly good black T-shirt. Why do I have to replace it with this bright orange one? It's not exactly my color.

He stared at me and I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, sorry. Um, bathrooms around the corner to the right."

I nodded and left the cabin.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I walked into the girl's bathroom and recoiled, the smell was horrible and I didn't really want to go in anymore. Although the smell might not actually be that strong it might just be my powers acting up. _Again_...

I held my breath, which I could hold for up to five minutes, and walked into the stall at the end of the six.

I started to pull the shirt over my head when the door to the bathroom opened and I heard what sounded like a bunch of long claws clicking on the concrete ground.

I pulled the shirt quickly over my head and stood on the toilet looking over the top of the stall door. Three hellhounds were sniffing around the bottom of the first few stalls, two more hellhounds pushed the door opened and walked in. I knew that this had been a trap!

I tried to think out a plan. Okay, I would push past the first three and then jump over the others, these were small ones so the top of their heads would only come to my neck, run out the door, run to the edge and out of the "camp".

I stuffed half of my nice black T-shirt in my pocket, believing it would stay, then I got down off of the toilet not making a sound and took a deep breath. I burst through the door and six pairs of eyes turned to me. I ran as fast as I could and reached the first hound, I grabbed its snarling snout with both hands as it growled and whined, the second hound started after me and I picked up the first and threw it at the second. The second slid and took out the third with it, the three started to squeak loudly with pain as they struggled to get up. I squeezed around them hastily and the other three in front of me started barking happily like they had tricked me but I squatted and jumped as high as I could. The top of my head touched the rough ceiling, I landed and slid into the wall, shook it off quickly and ran out the door, the six hellhounds right on my tail barking angrily.

I ran past the cabins and past eating pavilion. People were sitting at wooden tables talking loudly as they waited for their food. At one of the tables Percy and Kay sat deep in conversation, Kay doing most of the talking.

When Percy saw me he stood up from his table, waved and then yelled over the loud talking of other tables, "Elle, over here!"

Then the Hellhounds rounded the corner and his face turned to horror.

I turned and ran but surprisingly, I heard Percy yell louder then before, "Help! Hellhounds!" and I heard people screaming and yelling, running after me.

I ran up the hill past the Big House and saw the big pine tree. The dragon was in battle with a Cowdude and a bunch more Hellhounds, another Cowdude and three more Hellhounds ran past the battle and charged me.

I stopped, turned back and saw the six Hellhounds followed by the crowd of kids with swords and loud battle cries.

The Hellhounds led the Minotour straight for me, and the other six hounds were only 15 yards away.

I didn't know what to do but stand and fight. I'm not one to run away unless I completely have to. I had some pretty good chances here, saying that the other campers weren't monsters and would actually help me. I thought of the biggest animal I could think off of the top of my head, an elephant, and concentrated hard as the Cowdude was getting ready to charge.

I felt myself morph, growing taller and tusks coming into view. The Cowdude charged but before it could reach me I swung my tusks at it and it went flying. The Hellhounds barked and whined and started to back away but I bounded after them and trampled them into dust. I turned and saw that the campers had killed three of the hounds but now the beasts were retreating into the forest.

I powered down and fell to my knees breathing hard. I haven't been training in a while so I was pretty drained.

The campers ran up to me saying stuff like, "How did you do that?" and "That was _so_ awesome!"

I was a little embarrassed but was to tired to respond or run away. Percy walked up sword in hand. I was half expecting a stab me in the chest or him morphing into a giant monster but instead he offered me his free hand. I was relieved as I took it and stood unsteadily.

I was probably rocking back and forth as my world kept twirling. I wanted to fall back down to my knees, clutch the ground and beg it to stop moving but I stood strong.

A white horse galloped up to my side and when I looked up to see who was riding on it, my world went black and I fell over backward. I felt the nice cold ground, I was probably burning up.

"Are you ok?" I heard Percy's voice but I couldn't process it.

I slipped into a dream…


	4. Chapter 4

**I know you've read this in The last Olympian but the last part is important so read to the end.**

Chapter 4

I was on the terrace of some kind of hotel, I recognized that I was in Manhattan but I didn't know which hotel exactly. In a lounge chair was the blonde girl, she looked pale like she was terribly sick. Kneeling beside her was Percy, he felt of her forehead.

"Your cute when your worried," she smiled, "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."

He did look very worried but when she said that I could tell that he was trying hard not to look like it.

"You are _not _going to die while I owe you a favor," He said, "Why did you take that knife?"

Now I know why she looked so pale. She had been stabbed.

"You would've done the same for me."

He still looked guilty, "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

He looked around, probably to make sure no one was listening then he leaned in and talked quietly, "My Achilles spot. If you hadn't taken that knife, I would've died."

She got a faraway look and looked over his shoulder straight at me and I wondered if she could see me.

"I don't know, Percy. I just had this feeling you were in danger. Where… where is the spot?"

He looked a little worried again but then told her, "The small of my back."

The scene changed, I was deep in the forest, only a bit of light shone through the leafy trees. In front of me was a teenage boy turned away from me. He looked to be my age, he had light brown hair, and I expected him to have brown eyes but when he looked in my direction I saw that his eyes were golden. They shined brightly like gold coins in bright light.

Behind him were two scaley, green, part Lizard part woman, I had fought some of those before, they were saying something but I couldn't make it out.

The boy turned his head to one of them, "You do not speak of my father this way!" His sudden anger made me jump, "He _will_ return, and then the Olympians will pay. My father will reign once again!" His eyes grew brighter but then he stopped cold and looked right at me.

"Elle?" He said with a surprised look on his face.

Wait, I knew him. We were once friends a long time ago when we lived in the Corpse. The name Sean's father used to call our village. "Sean?" I heard myself speak but when I did his face turned hard, he nodded and one of the lizard woman swiped her claws at me.


	5. Chapter 5

**You guys have been waiting for this one! (I hope...) You'll find out why Elle is.... well, Elle. Please review!**

Chapter 5

I woke with a start, still gasping from the adrenaline of almost being killed in my dream.

I was sitting on an old mattress in a small room, painted a calming chocolate brown color, and decorated with an old-fashioned clock on the side table, bookcase and an old wooden chair. I could smell the wood, the mold and the rot that was eating away at it, and I knew how if you sat on it, it would most likely give a loud creak or even fall to the ground. It looked like this room hadn't been used in ages.

Percy and the blond chick had been talking in the doorway of the room I had been sleeping, but when they noticed that I was awake they became silent and walked over to my side.

"You ok?" Percy asked.

I nodded but it felt like my brain was rattling around in my skull and I held my head to make it stop, "How long?" I managed.

"Only a few hours." The blonde chick answered even though it was directed at Percy, "How did you do that, anyway?"

A familiar voice came into the room, "Please, Annabeth, I do not want you to put any more pressure on Elle anymore then we have to." Chiron wheeled himself the other side of the bed then the others.

I felt self-conscious about being the only one lying down so I swooped my legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up but stumbled forward, Percy and Annabeth came forward holding out there hands offering help, "I'm ok. I'm ok," I said steadying myself against the wall.

I was anxious to change the subject. I turned around facing them, and leaned up against the wall, "I thought that monsters couldn't come into the camp."

"They couldn't." Chiron started, "They were very determined to try and kill you. Not even being a daughter of the Big Three would attract this many monsters." Chiron thought hard then spoke again, "Do you know anything about your past? Any glimpses, images…"

I didn't really have a childhood. Most of it didn't make any sence to me. or…

I grabbed the string around my neck and pulled it until the stone on the end came out of my shirt. It's blue, green, white and red glow making me feel warm inside. When Chiron saw it his eyes got wide, "Oh my gods,"

"This is the only thing I don't remember stealing… I mean borrowing." I said and Annabeth glared at me. I avoided her eyes.

"No, you don't understand." Chiron rolled up to me, I took off the necklace and he took it like it was the key that could save the world from ending, "This is Gaia's stone."

"You don't mean...." Annabeth's voice faded.

"What are you guys talking about?" I interrupted and they looked at me.

"You, Elle, are a daughter of the Titan of all of the earth. Gaia."

_I hoped you liked that chapter. It took a while to find the right Titan that she would be the daughter of but I finally found a good one, Gaia or Gaea. Please, PLEASE comment review; I want to know your feedback, and keep reading the new chapters that will be out very soon. Thank y'all!_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I had _no _freaking idea what they were talking about. Something about me being really powerful, me being daughter of a "Titan" and then something about cabbage...? Excuse me if not one single hobo decided he would teach me about Greek mythology.

"Who in the world is Gaia?" Percy and me said in unison. Percy blushed, but I didn't, honest.

"Gaia is the mother of nature. Water, air, plants and earth, and animals," Chiron explained, "That's what the four colors of your necklace represent, blue for water, green for plants and earth, white for air and red for animals."

"How could this happen?" Annabeth said, "I thought that the Titans didn't have kids with mortals."

Chiron gave me back the necklace, I slipped it back over my head and tucked it back into my shirt, "Well, they never did before this. Maybe this was Kronos's way of getting back at the Olympians. Or making his own army stronger."

Percy chimed in, "Isn't Kronos…. You know, dead?"

Chiron and Annabeth looked at each other, "No, unfortunately not. The Titans are immortal and the gods didn't send him back to Tartarus."

"Wait, if we won the battle in Olympus just 8 months back then it wouldn't make sense if Elle is 15."

I had a bunch of questions but I stayed silent.

"That's what I have been considering too." Chiron tapped his chin, thinking, "We'll have to take her to Olympus and see what Zeus says. I don't think this can't wait until summer solstice. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

I was tempted to tell them about Sean and my dream but didn't think about it until Chiron was already out the door. I absently wondered if the small of Percy's back was the only place that could kill him.

"You hungry?" Percy asked after Annabeth left behind Chiron.

"Starved," I replied and he smiled like I was joking. I followed him to the eating pavilion, he got us some leftovers and I choked it down before it could disappear. Of course, he looked at me like I was crazy. Everyone does.

When we were done it was 3 o'clock and Percy asked, "So everyone else is training. Do you want to go check it out?"

I was about to say 'sure' but just then a white horse galloped up, much like the one I'd seen before I past out earlier. Instead of a white horse head there was a torso of a man, Chiron's torso to be precise.

I took a step back in surprise, Percy looked like this was just everyday stuff.

Chiron turned to me, his torso swiveling slightly on the white horse neck making me shiver at the strange sight, "Elle, there's someone here to see you. It's urgent!"

I got to ride on his back, which wasn't as fun as it looked. It would've been better if I just turned into a horse myself.

He took me to the side of the camp to the big oak tree. I saw that a camper was applying bandages to the dragon's front foot as it made strange noises. When I hopped off Chiron's back the dragon froze, looked at me and stiffed the air like it could smell that I wasn't from around here.

There was a van pulled on the grass at the base of the hill, a red jeep had run into the back fender. Beside the van was a man with scraggly blond hair and eyes all over his body. The sight was strange but not as much as what I saw next.

A girl stood 10 feet from the tree facing us, she had red curly hair and wore paint splattered jeans and a white T-shirt. But the weirdest thing about her was that her eyes were glowing green and some kind of green mist floated around her like she was the one making it.

Percy ran up beside me and gasped, "Rachel?"

Chiron's hand touched my back, slightly pushing me forward, "Go on."

I walked toward her. I had to admit I was a little freaked out, how would you feel walking up to some strange girl with glowing green eyes. Especially alone.

I was 5 feet away from her, when the mist grew thick and I could only see the girl, I could feel the cold mist floating around me. When she opened her mouth, green mist oozed out and she started to speak, she said,

"_Five will start the journey, and make their way west,_

Cross a god's garden, pass a god's test.

Unite two invincibles and five bearing ancient blood,

Before the Doors open, and all Chaos floods. "

**Stay tuned for more chapters!**


	7. Chapter 7

**IMPORTANT READ 'TIL THE END... gosh...**

Chapter 7

The mist disappeared as soon as she finished the last line. I wasn't paying to much attention, I was to caught on her words, but the girl closed her eyes and doubled over. Percy ran to her side and she slowly straightened, her eyes weren't glowing anymore, "Percy! How did you get into my room?" She screeched with surprise.

I stood frozen trying to make out the rhyming words of the girl. '_Before the Doors are open, and all Chaos floods._' What did she mean by that?

"Who is she?" I asked when Chiron trotted over beside me.

"Her name is Rachel Dare, she's the camp Oracle. " He answered.

That means what she said is true? Wait, I don't believe in prophecy crap! I barely believe in gods/Titans why should I believe in "knowing the future"?

"Annabeth is waiting for us in the Big House, so we better get going." Chiron didn't offer to let me ride on his back but instead he offered to Rachel. She turned him down and walked with Percy and me.

I almost showed off by morphing into a leopard and running to the Big House, but decided it wouldn't be a very good first impression. Although, why do I care? But I still couldn't bring myself to do it. So I walked with Percy and Rachel. All the while I kept repeating the prophecy in my head.

When we arrived at the Big House, Chiron and Annabeth were sitting at the large table inside. Chiron was in his wheel chair and I wondered how his whole backside could fit in it.

Rachel and Percy took a seat and I followed their example.

Chiron and Annabeth looked at me, "So, what was the prophecy?" Annabeth said eagerly.

It took me a second to remember the exact words, "Five will start the journey and make their way west, Cross a god's garden, pass a god's test. Unite two invincibles and five bearing ancient blood, Before the Doors open, and all Chaos floods."

"That doesn't sound good," Percy said.

"Yes, Percy, it doesn't--" Chiron faltered and looked at the door behind us. I heard the door to the Big House swing open, I could smell blood, and call me a weird kind of animal, but it made my mouth water. We all quickly turned our heads to the noise as I surpressed a hunger.

At the door, was a big girl with short dirty blonde hair, her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt was covered in blood and she looked pale.

"Clarrise?" Annabeth said, and the girl opened her mouth but instead of speaking she fell to her knees and then fell flat, revealing an arrow sticking out of her back.

Annabeth, Rachel and Percy all ran to her side. I stepped past them and walked outside, looking over at the hill with the oak tree at the top. Lizard woman were attacking the dragon, as the camper that had been bandaging it was now up and fighting beside it.

Hellhounds, cowdudes, lizard woman and other monsters that I hadn't given time to giving them stupid names were all charging for the camp. Suddenly, behind the wave of monsters, was a guy on a horse. I could see the golden glow of his eyes from here, even though he tried to hide them behind his shaggy brown hair. "Sean." I said to myself.

All of a sudden I felt a wave of pain in my left shoulder and I heard myself make a small yelp. I looked down at my shoulder and found that an arrow point was sticking out. Blood rushed from the wounds but somehow I found strength to keep standing.

I turned around to see the culprit that had shot the arrow. I saw a little boy in an orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, black hair and green eyes holding a bow.

My face turned to horror, "Kay?"


	8. Chapter 8

OH MY GOSH how long did this take for me to put up? Well I'm SO sorry it did take so long. I will be putting up a chapter every other week at the latest and I will make them longer. Thanks y'all!

Chapter 8

How could he do this? We were siblings! Or at least he was told we were siblings, _he_ didn't know otherwise.

I was about to charge him when someone pushed passed me and ran toward the forest. I looked after and saw the big girl run like a bullet, the arrow still sticking out of her back.

Percy and Annabeth ran out the door pushing past me, "Clarrise!" They screamed but the girl didn't even look back.

I saw more campers run to the forest as if retreating to a secret hiding place.

I looked back to the boy who had dropped the bow and took off with the others. I couldn't let him get away. I bolted after him. It probably wasn't my best idea since I was loosing a lot of blood and my vision was already going a little fuzzy but I pressed on.

"Elle, no!" I heard Percy roar.

He was impossibly fast and when he was almost to the edge of the forest, I knew that this was my only chance. I jumped after him, reached around his stomach and took him down. He thrashed and struggled but I didn't loosen my grip.

He twisted his neck painfully to look at me and I got a glimpse of his eyes. Instead of the light green color that I knew, they were black. Like an animals, I couldn't even see the white of his eyes.

I heard a jumble of whispers like him daring to look at me was arousing spirits and I gasped, as the world seemed to darken around him. At first I had a good grip of him and then the next second he disappeared and all that was left was a pile of dust. My sight went black for a few seconds and when I regained it a new wave of pain flayed through my shoulder. I grunted, letting loose of my tightened muscles and fell in the pile of Kay.

Percy, Annabeth and Rachel darted over, Annabeth kneeled at my side, Percy looked out into the forest, sword drawn, and Rachel just stood in horror.

Annabeth rolled me over on my back and I felt the arrow move in my shoulder. "She's lost a lot of blood." I heard Annabeth's voice but it was fading.

Percy leaned over me and I tried hard to keep my eyes open, "Hey, don't die!" His voice boomed in my ears. Good way to be sympathetic, Percy.

Annabeth and Percy helped me up and Percy practically carried me back to the Big House. I kept dosing off, but when we got to the front steps something happened that woke me up significantly.

We were about 10 yards from the front door when I heard him.

"There you are, cuz." Sean grabbed my bad shoulder from behind, pulled me away from Percy and I gave a subdued cry. Percy drew his sword but Sean knocked him back with a wave of his hand.

Lizard Faces came after Annabeth and Rachel. Annabeth stabbed one but another helped restrain her as she screamed and fought back.

"It's ok, Annabeth, I just want to talk to my cousin here." Sean smiled.

"Leave them alone, Sean." I mumbled.

"Oh, we will. It's _you_ daddy wants. The spell won't work on you, nor your lump of a friend over there." He gestured to Percy who was too preoccupied with the raging around him to help. That must've been why Kay's eyes were black. He was under a spell.

He started to drag me away, "Wait," I forced myself to stay awake, "hey, do me a favor and take the arrow out of my shoulder."

He got a big wild like smile, "Sure thing, _buddy_." He steadied me with his left hand and swiftly pulled out the arrow with the other. I screamed in pain and heard Percy call my name but ignored it. While I still had the adrenaline rush, I grabbed Sean's shoulders and kneed him in the crotch as hard as I could. That's what you get for being a _guy_.

He grunted and fell to his knees. The extra Lizard Face that had been holding Annabeth let go and started to come after me. I swung my foot and hit it square in its chest. It fell backward into a roar.

I would've collapsed if I hadn't of been fighting for my life. Although, fighting for my life was probably killing me, I was loosing too much blood. I hate irony sometimes.

A Lizard Face flew out the door of the Big House and on the ground by my feet. Chiron came out of the door next with a battle cry, holding a sword up in the air, steering his wheel chair with his other hand.

The monster let loose an eerie scream that almost made me shriek myself, as Chiron swung his sword down on Lizard Face's chest and it shattered into golden dust.

"Get to the van," Chiron yelled and started rolling towards another monster, swinging his sword at it, "Go to Mojave!"

Sean had gotten to his feet and started to come after me. He stopped in front of me and took a swing at me but I blocked it. I didn't see it coming, but he took another swing at me with his other hand and hit me on the side of the head. I hit the ground hard, thankfully, falling on my right side, if I would have fallen on my left it would have made the wound hurt even more.

I would have been hauled away if it were not for Percy. As soon as Sean bent down to pick me up Percy's foot came flying and hit him right below the collarbone, Percy almost hitting me as he passed over to get to Sean.

Sean and Percy went flying back but it was Percy that had the spot of Alfa Dog. Percy was standing over him with one foot placed where he had kicked Sean, looking like a Bullfighter standing over his kill.

Everything seemed to slow. As if Sean alone was the one that had been causing the havoc when he had been standing.

Abruptly, Percy snapped his head toward me and the grogginess dissipated, "Get her to the van!"

Someone appeared behind me and I jumped. I was relieved when I saw it was Annabeth helping me up. I could tell she thought that I was a little heavy but I could do nothing to help her. Neither my legs nor my arms would move for me.

I couldn't focus my attention on anything but I could tell there was battle around me. Everything fast forward and the next second Annabeth had put me in the backseat of an eight seat gray van. The last thing I thought before passing out was how much I hoped to wake up again.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Someone was shaking me. Maybe to wake me but I didn't want to wake, I was enjoying the life I had when I slept too much. No monsters and no pain. There was too much pain in the real world, it had already started flourishing back and I tried hard to push it away but the shaking continued to try to stir me into consciousness.

My mind started to surface back into reality and I heard myself moan as I felt the pain fully. And with that, I began to panic. Or at least I thought I was panicking. Either that or I just couldn't breathe.

My eyes snapped open and I shot into a sitting position, wheezing for air.

Someone slid over and sat by my feet on the hard fake-leather car seat. The whole van was shaking, maybe a bumpy road? Knowing that calmed me a bit but I still couldn't breathe.

Annabeth pressed her hand against my chest, "Lay back down, it's OK. You're alright." I didn't believe her. I couldn't breathe. I needed to stand up, move around to get my lungs working again.

I pushed her hand away but she fought me, grabbing my arm with her other hand. I just stared at the isle on the right of the two rows of the back seats from which she guarded me. I swung my legs off the seat and advanced on her pushing her aside.

I stood beside the door to the back seat of the van where it just had enough room and height for me to stand. I closed my eyes, leaned against the shaking wall of the van and breathed deeply. I could feel Rachel's and Percy's stare from the front seat; they were probably wondering what was wrong.

I suddenly felt dizzy and sat down in the middle seat, the row of seats right in front of the one I had been lying. I felt the pain in my shoulder and slipped the blood-spattered orange shirt over my shoulder to reveal the slightly dressed wound. I started to unwrap the bloody bandages knowing fully what I was doing when Percy and Annabeth both tried to intercept.

I got a "Hey, don't do that!" and a "What are you _doing_?"

"I know what I'm doing." My voice sounded rough, and my mouth was dry.

I removed the last of the bandage carefully, hissing as the cold air blew on my wound. I checked to see if there was anything in the wound, and then began.

Closing my eyes and concentrating hard, I picked the certain regeneration genes from a lizard and mixed them with mine. I can't imagine how it must've looked, my skin flashing to scales, long, green fingers with claws, and maybe even a tail I don't know.

After barely a minute of concentrating, the pain left me and I felt the wound close. All that I heard from the others was "Whoa."

I opened my eyes and rolled my shoulder. I looked out the front window; there were cars and tall buildings all around us. I assumed we were in New York.

I cleared my throat, "Mojave?" I asked.

Percy, whom was driving, glanced at me though the mirror, "Hm?"

"Chiron said to go to 'Mojave'." I replied. Did he not know where we were going?

"Yes, Mojave," Annabeth said behind me, "It's a desert in south Nevada and south eastern California. It's all around Las Vegas."

Annabeth and Percy exchanged looks, like they had some bad times around Las Vegas.

"How long?" I didn't really know geology. Or was it geography? I don't know, I just want to know how long 'til we get there.

"Approximately 2,500 miles," Annabeth. She was getting on my nerves a little bit.

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, "Let me rephrase that." I spoke slower, "_How many hours until we get to our destination?_"

She sighed, maybe in annoyance I don't know, "About four days," She said and my mouth dropped.

I still didn't like the idea of taking four days to get there. "Can't we take a plane or something? I mean if we have enough money for gas to drive there then don't you think we'd have enough for some plane tickets?" I asked. Sorry for my impatience.

"That's true. But I don't even know if we have enough money for gas." Percy said barely breaking his gaze from the slowly moving traffic.

"Maybe we should call Chiron." Rachel said, reaching into her pocket and withdrawing a sparkly purple cell phone.

Percy looked at her nervously, "No, no need. How about we, um, go and pick up Grover then we can check in on the camp."

Rachel nodded and put away her cell phone.

"Sounds good. Where we going to pick up the old goat, anyway?" Annabeth said, moving up to the middle seat beside me.

"The state park. He was supposed to come in yesterday but he got delayed with some council business."

I looked out the window and enjoyed not having to walk. I also enjoyed the silence, after the fight at camp everything seemed so slow. Everyone was pretty quiet for quite a while, until Annabeth started to get on my nerves again, "So we know that your mother was Gaia, but who do you think your father is?" She said it like my mother wasn't Gaia anymore. The fact that she was speaking to me made me uncomfortable, but then she had to make it worse and talk to me about my parents.

I didn't look at her but kept my gaze out the window, "I don't know," I let my annoyance drip off my voice, but she didn't seem to get the message.

"'Cause I lived with my dad until I was about seven years old then came to camp half-blood," She ran on.

"Good for you," I mumbled.

"Maybe your dad was Scottish? You know the whole dark black hair and blue eyes thing." I turned to Percy and shot him a thankful look. Thank you for saving me from the blabbermouth!

Rachel turned and stared at me intently, "When I saw her she had green eyes."

Annabeth gave me the same stare, "Well now she has really dark, black eyes."

"Hm, that's weird," Percy put the car in park, because this was a really long red light, and turned and stared at me too, which made me more uncomfortable then ever. I really hate being in the spotlight.

"Maybe her dad was French?" Annabeth said and I nearly jumped out of the car.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here, will you?" Everyone in the car flinched, Annabeth and Rachel turned away from me awkwardly. Percy shifted in his seat and went back to driving. I didn't mean to sound so mean but it just came out that way.

There was an awkward thickness in the air now but at least they weren't talking about me anymore. I turned back to the window and after fifteen minutes of silence and me feeling guilty, the car stopped on the side of a somewhat busy road next to a nice green field stocked with trees, flowers, going on for a long distance.

Suddenly, a guy with curly brown hair sticking out of some kind of beanie, wearing jeans and a green striped button up shirt, emerged from the trees and started walking towards the van holding a brown suitcase. He looked to be a little older then Percy because of the slight beard he had growing on his chin and he was slightly taller.

Annabeth opened the door from the inside, slid over to the middle seat, the seat right beside me, and let the strange boy get in and sit where Annabeth used to be seated.

Percy reached back, held out his fist and the kid fist touched him back, "Hey, bro'. How's it going?"

"Oh, great," The kid started. "We finally got the bears to agree to stop dumping garbage in the sea and.… Well you don't want to hear about that. I'm just glad to be back!" He took off his hat and ruffled his hair. When he withdrew his hand from the jumble of curls I noticed tall, thick, white horns coming out of mess.

I almost fell out of my seat. He stared at me from his seat as I stumbled back onto mine.

"Oh, um," Percy cleared his throat, "Elle, this is Grover. Grover, this is Elle."

Grover smiled at me, "Um, uh, h-hi," He stuttered.

I was having trouble speaking myself; the shock of seeing his horns was still there and the memory of fighting so many Minotours with similar horns cluttered my mind.

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out so I quickly shut it, gave a nod and a slight smile.

"S-so what's the plan?" Grover said, taking his gaze from me to Percy.

"We're going to California, Mojave dessert. The prophecy says to go to a god's garden. Chiron sounded like he knew what he was talking about." Annabeth sure does like to answer for other people. Maybe to show everyone else that she is better then them or maybe just to prove that she does know the answer.

They continued to talk like this for hours. At one point Grover asked about me and I had to answer a few stuttered questions, but nothing jump-out-of-moving-cars worthy. We drove on for about 2 hours, sometimes they talked, one time they tried to turn on the radio but no one could decide on what music to listen to. They almost killed each other before Percy yelled 'shut up' and turned off the radio. I stayed silent, one time Percy asked if I was ok, I gave a halfhearted smile and a nod. I didn't know if I actually was ok, I was riding in a car with four people I barely knew, to some place that I've never even heard of. And what are we going to do when we get there? Save the world? I doubt everything except myself until I get to see it with my own eyes. I still don't believe in 'Greek gods'.

We stopped at a Shell station to get some snacks, gas and use the bathroom. Grover, Annabeth, Rachel and I filed out and went inside the filthy gas station. The smell of cigarette smoke filled the air, there was a man with long hair and a tie-dye t-shirt at the front desk that welcomed us with a reluctant smile and went back to reading his surfing magazine. Annabeth leaned over the desk and asked in a quiet voice were the bathroom was.

"Over there," He said in a Napoleon Dynamite kind of tone. Annabeth nodded and walked over to where the man pointed followed by Rachel.

I walked over to the candy section just browsing. I saw Grover go somewhere over to the sodas. I saw some Butterfingers and walked over to see if they were small enough to stash away in my pockets.

"Hey," The voice came from behind and I jumped.

I turned around and saw a man in a business suit, blondish hair, holding a phone in his right hand his other hand in his pocket, "You shouldn't steal or one day it's going to come back to haunt you."

I looked at him guiltily, "I wasn't going to-"

"Yes, you were." He interrupted me. He smiled like he stole the punch line from my joke.

I stepped back, "Who are you?"

He chuckled, "You're the all powerful demigod? You don't even know a simple gods name."

_What?_

The bell on the door rang; Percy walked in and looked around. He quickly saw me and walked over, "Hermes?" He said, as he got closer.

"Percy!" He shook Percy's hand, "I was just talking to your friend here. I took the whole day off to come here to try and see her." He smiled at me again and leaned in close to me. He was kind of creeping me out.

I slid away and stood by Percy so I wasn't trapped between 'Hermes' and the snacks anymore.

"Who is this creep?" I whispered to Percy.

"Elle," He said my name like I did something wrong, "This is Hermes, the god of messengers."

I knew him from a movie I once saw, "Oh, you're the dude with the flying shoes in the cartoon Hercules."

"Yes, I guess that is me," He sighed, halfheartedly smiled and changed the subject. "The gods are all talking about you, Elle, they say that you can to great things. But some doubt that you can do good, at all." He looked sad for a moment and his gaze rested on my neck, "Um, may I please s-see it?" He reached his hand out as he looked longingly at me. Was he talking about my necklace?

I withdrew it from hiding within my shirt. He became even more wide eyed then before and leaned in closer moving his hand as if to touch it.

_Hermes!_A female voice from an unknown place made him snap out of the trance. He withdrew his hand and stood up straight, clearing his throat, "Yes, sorry about that."

He wouldn't look at me for more then two seconds, "I better be going now before…" His voice trailed off as he looked at his feet.

"Before what?" Percy said what I was thinking.

He looked nervous, "Oh, um, never mind. I've got to go. Be careful, Elle. And here's something to get you on your way," He was about to hand me a big roll of cash but instead he hastily took it away and gave it to Percy.

"Thanks," Percy said with a smile.

He was already out of the door when he turned back to say one last thing, "You have a great burden, Elle, and you must not let anyone take it from you. Not even me," He looked so sad.

"Look away," Percy said to me and I confusedly shielded my eyes. There was a bright light and I was glad that Percy had told me to look away. When I looked at the door again Hermes was gone. I remembered what he had said, 'You have a great burden, Elle,' I wondered what that must've meant. He seemed so drawn to my necklace when he saw it. I felt like Frodo from Lord of the Rings carrying the ring around his neck.

A loud rumbling shook the ground and me from my thoughts. Food fell from their shelves and Percy nearly knocked me over as he stumbled.

"Earthquake!" The man at the cash register yelled as he dashed under his desk.

Rachel and Annabeth came from the bathroom wide eyed and Grover stumbled into Percy whom crashed into me. I pushed them off and stumbled outside to find that a giant Ogre had smashed our van into a million pieces.

I guess we're going to have to get some plane tickets after all.

Sorry it was a little long, and some of it was a little boring. Anyways, has everyone seen the new Percy Jackson movie trailer? 'Cause it's freaking wicked!!! I first saw it Friday when me and my friend went to go see New Moon, which by the way was also pretty awesome. By the way THANK YOU NESSABEE!!! This next thing is a short story kind of thing that I promised my brother I would put in my FanFic. Him and me made it up together.

"_Chicken, chicken how art thou, chicken?" said Chewbacca._

_When the monkey's symbols clanged together I awoke with a fright._

_I awoke again and said, "What a strange dream," And the purple zebra agreed._

_I thought that my dream couldn't get any more peculiar until I awoke again and looked around as a Leprechaun and Yoda walked into my bedroom hand in hand singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'._

_I pinched myself to wake myself up but I didn't._

_It wasn't a dream_


	10. Chapter 10

YAY double digits!! I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, 'cause I really didn't. Just kidding, mine was okay.

Chapter 10

The Ogre was thirty feet tall, maybe bigger; it's hand big enough to hold me in its palm.

It was on its knees smashing the van repeatedly with its fist, holding it to the ground with the other. It was kind of a tan color, all that it was wearing was some kind of underwear, and it looked like the kind of Ogre in 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe' except bigger. I've never fought anything _this_ big, maybe a few smaller versions of this. _Way _smaller versions.

The van was almost flattened when it stopped and looked at its work, "Huh?" It didn't seem to be happy with what it had done. It looked around like trying to find a missing piece, that's when it saw me.

"You, little person! Come here," It said in a deep voice as it stood making me loose my balance and almost toppling over.

Just then, the door to the station opened and out stumbled the gang. They were always one step behind me.

"What did you _do_?" Annabeth yelled to me.

_I didn't tell the Ogre to smash the van! _I thought but didn't say anything, there wasn't any time. The big lug had already taken a huge step and was halfway across the lot. I grabbed the arm to the person beside me, who just happened to be Grover, and ran inside. The others followed.

I might have happened to have, accidentally, grabbed a few bags of beef jerky on the way out of the back door. I hoped for Grover's sake that he didn't see.

As I ran out of the back door pulling Grover I knew what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, I was right, and a giant foot came crashing into the side of the small building of the gas station. I hoped that the hippy at the front desk was ok, even though those hippies really got on my nerves.

I ran as fast as I could and dove. Thankfully, the others followed my lead as the giant's foot and other debris almost smothered us.

Suddenly, over all the sounds of crashing there was a scream, but more of an eerie, girlish kind of grunt. I let go of Grover's hand and rolled over onto my back, still holding on to my Jerky. I could here a little voice in my head say "My precious…"

I looked over to where the grunt came from and saw that one of Rachel's legs was under what seemed like a giant metal pole. It stretched the length of the roof of the station. My first thought was where in the world that thing came from. I don't really know the construction of a building like this one, but that building was way to small, I would've noticed that thing when I walked in.

I noticed that everything started moving in slow motion, the giant wasn't even moving at all because he was in slow motion before everything even started moving slowly.

Percy was still lying stomach down on the ground next to Rachel but just out of reach of being crushed by the metal pole unlike Rachel. Percy's hands were still interlocked with Annabeth and Rachel's hands. I was almost jealous of the other girls. I blushed at the thought.

I forced my focus back on what to do.

I moved in slow motion like everyone else, which sucked. At least I had time to think.

I tucked the bags of Jerky into the side of my pants, the plastic poked me a little but Jerky is worth it. I then took what seemed like two minutes just to get up and walk over to the thing crushing my friend. Actually she was more of an acquaintance, but she can't read my thoughts thankfully. Or could she?

I concentrated on a gorilla; it only took a little less then 30 seconds to get the right kind of genes just to make me strong enough to pick up the 100-pound pole of metal. Just in case your wondering, it took less time because I've changed to a gorilla more then I have an elephant or a lizard.

I picked it up with much ease while Rachel just laid there looking at me.

"Go!" I yelled at her as time started to speed up.

The giant brought his foot up and a shadow came over Rachel, Percy, whom was standing nearby, and me, who was still holding the heavy metal pole. The Ogre was about to crush us and I didn't know what to do so I chunked the huge thing at him.

He took the hit in the neck and collarbone area, and then stumbled back, "Hey!"

I turned to the team; they were still all standing around dazed, "Go!" I yelled at them again, pointing off into the field behind the gas station leading to a forest.

Percy quickly helped Rachel up as I ran ahead, reluctantly leading them. I wasn't the leader type, but when it came to weirdoes with super powers, I was king.

Percy and Annabeth helped Rachel run because of her hurt leg. I stopped to make sure once or twice if they were ok and to see if the Ogre was still following us. We were quite a while ahead before he finally started to come after us again but he could barely catch up with how slow he moved. Even if it did take twenty foot long steps.

When I reached the end of the field and the entrance to the forest I turned back and let everyone go first. As soon as Rachel went through the Ogre was ten yards away, I decided it would be a good idea to through something at him, so I picked up the biggest tree I could reach, it looked like some kind of pine tree, and threw it at him. This time I aimed for his legs; he didn't have a chance to dodge, so it hit him right in on of his kneecaps.

"Ow!" He yelled and I covered my ears to his booming voice. He held his knee then lost his balance completely and fell to the ground.

I smiled in satisfaction and followed the now faint sounds of my teammates footsteps.

One more month until 2010, people! 2 years and 27 days until the apocalypse!!! Oh no we're all gonna die!!!!! : P


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The gang and I trekked through the forest, trying to get as far away as possible from the Ogre. I personally was so glad to be back in the forest again and out of the city where everything smelled of gasoline and pollution. Besides, the forest was my home turf; I could hear anything and everything going on within these trees.

It was sunset now, about six o'clock when we finally stopped. We got a campfire down and Annabeth was looking at Rachel's leg as Percy was listening to them and tending to the fire. I was sitting on a log next to the fire, looking into it, debating whether or not I should be sharing my Jerky with the others when Grover came over and sat beside me.

"I saw you take the Jerky," He said quietly after a moment of silence. I was glad that Annabeth was out of listening range because if she heard, she would be all on my back about how she knew that I was a thief or something stupid like that.

I snapped my eyes to him ferociously and he backed away holding his hands up in surrender, "No, no. I wasn't going to tell, don't worry."

I looked into the fire again and he came closer to me, which made me a little uncomfortable but I didn't let it show. Grover was nice, despite the devilish look about him. You know, the whole horns and hooves; all he was missing was a long red tail that came to a fine point.

I glanced over at him and caught him staring at me; he saw my glance and looked away. I was suddenly eager to change the subject, "Want some Jerky?" I said opening up one of the bags.

He smiled and took a piece. I got out another bag from under the side of my shirt where I was still hiding them. Only one more bag left. "Hey, Percy," I said, he looked up and I threw him the bag. _No! Don't gives them our Precious…_ But I ignored Gollum this time.

"Where did you get it?" He said after he caught the bag, "We didn't buy anything at the station." I looked down guiltily as he opened the bag, took a handful and passed some off to Annabeth and Rachel.

Percy became silent when he figured out that I stole it, but Annabeth was a different story, "Oh, so you stole it?" She stood up and smiled mockingly.

I stood up too, finally fed up with her always bugging on me, "Yeah, I did steal it, so?"

"So you're a thief! I knew it the first time I saw you."

I heard something in the distance, voices.

"I bet you stole those clothes too!"

"Shut up!" I yelled then tried to listen.

"I'm not finished talking-"

"Shut up…!" I repeated in a hushed tone.

I listened and didn't hear anything for a moment, then in the distance I heard a male's voice, it said, "She knows we're here." I knew that voice.

I snapped my head to where the voice had come from, the east, then we'll go west. "We have to go." I poured some dirt on the fire and started stomping on it to put it out. If he's close enough, and I knew he was, then he'd be looking for the light of the small fire.

"Wait!" Annabeth ran over and tried to stop me, "What are you doing?" She was being so loud they are going to hear us.

I clenched my jaw so hard all I could do was shush her as I looked around making sure Sean hadn't jumped out from behind some tree. I don't know why but I couldn't spot his location.

I threw some more earth over the fire as smoke came out from under the ashes, dirt and wood, and then the fire went out.

Everyone was just standing around, "Come on! We have to go!" I started pushing them all toward the West, away from the dreaded Sean.

"What is it? What are we running from?" Percy asked as he stumbled from my pushes forward.

"What do we ever run from? Monsters!" I whispered.

"How can I walk anywhere when I can't see anything!" Annabeth whined. I had forgotten how dark night was before I'd figured out how to control my powers. I had also forgotten about how awesome my eyes must've looked with the lights out, not to brag. They would always kind of glow a white, almost a blue kind of color, like the moon in the night.

"Ok, get in a line and follow me." I pushed passed them to the front, I looked back to see that they were in some kind of circle, not a straight line but good enough.

"Elle, your eyes!" Grover said before I looked away.

"Yeah, yeah..." I waved him off like I didn't care.

I lead for about five minutes when I started hearing things. A ruffle in the bushes to the left, then again on the right, and I couldn't see what it was. Which was unusual, mind you. My heart pounded, I felt like I was in a horror movie. I started to run, the gang followed even though Rachel was having a bit of trouble keeping up. Another shuffle on my right, I turned my head to see if it was Sean or my imagination and ran into something. _Who put that tree there, _was all I thought.

Suddenly, something grabbed me by my shoulders and dragged me to my feet. I snapped open my eyes in surprise and saw golden glowing eyes and Sean's smooth face, darkened by a hood of a brown cloak he wore, which was the color of his dark hair, to the point were even _I_ could barely make out his features.

I was about to scream, struggle, kick, punch, anything to get free but he was to fast for me. He spun me around and grabbed me around the waist and elbows, holding me tight so I could barely move. I then had a clear view of the rest of the group. They were all frozen, in running positions like there had been a sudden ice age in their exact spots.

I started struggling furiously, I was not going to be taken and turned over to "Daddy" (as Sean used to call him) like my old friend MoJo had been! Memories of that distant time came rushing back and for some reason I pictured myself going down Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel. I pushed memories away and focused on now.

I tried to wriggle free but he just held tighter. Then I started thrashing my head back like you would if you were leaning against a wall and knocking the back of your head against it. I hit him in the nose once, twice, and then a third time. That's when he got angry.

He let go of me then pushed me to the ground and kicked me in the stomach several times. Blood spilled out of my mouth, but when I looked up at him he had a look of hate, with his own blood streaming from his nose. It made me feel better that I at least made him bleed before he did me. I had to smile.

"What are you so happy about?" He screamed before kicking me again, this time digging the toe of his shoe under my rib cage. I screamed in pain, rolled over and clutched my stomach, trying to keep my insides from bursting all over the place. Sean was still the same old Sean. Even back in the old days before I ran away, he still had trouble with controlling his rage, other then that he was a pretty happy kid. We all had a bit of trouble with controlling anger but he had the most. He was way worse about it now.

"Now, now. You don't want to pop a blood vessel again, do you?" Said a familiar voice, I rolled over at the sound, and saw a figure walk up behind Sean. I knew that voice.

"Shut up, Mary Jane." Sean mocked the clearly male teen.

"I told you never to call me that," The mystery figure grumbled angrily.

"I will call you whatever I want to call you! Now, do whatever it is you do, before we all die of old age!"

The kid walked closer to me and I could see his face more clearly now. He had bright blue eyes, light blond hair in a crew cut, blue jeans, and a patterned T-shirt with a vest.

My eyes almost lost a tear as I saw my old friend's pale face, "MoJo?"

He crouched down beside me and whispered, "I'm sorry I have to do this, Elle." He lifted his hand to my forehead.

I knew that he was about to put me to sleep but I had to resist for just a few seconds. I ripped off my necklace, reached over and put it in the frozen Grover's pant pocket. I couldn't let them find it so I made it look like I was just trying to stand up so they wouldn't suspect that I had put it there.

"Get her, you idiot! Quickly, she can't get away this time," Sean yelled to MoJo.

MoJo grabbed my arm and pulled me to the ground. He held my head with both hands, this time I didn't resist as much, as my eyelids started to feel heavy and I drifted off into deep sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

I'll start out by saying I hoped that all of you had a merry Christmas! And that I'm sorry I didn't get this out earlier, you see, I just got my wisdom teeth out last week and was unconscious for most of that weekend. Dang, it's hard to write a long chapter and release one every week…. Okay, I know some of you have some questions about "Who's that?" and "Who's this?"… Well, I'm not telling you, BECAUSE Elle doesn't know herself. I do know though, mind you. Hehe…. But she (and you) will find out who Sean is (if you haven't figured it out already, I explain what he looks like in chapter 4. go and reread it if you'd like) and who Mojo is. Keep reading! I promise it'll be good! And don't forget to review.Grover's P.O.V. (First time to do a point of view from anyone besides Elle! 'T is a momentous occasion)

Chapter 12

It was like a hazy dream lingering in the back of my mind; if I thought about the images hard enough I could see what had happened more vividly and make out at least one of the many pictures going through my mind. I saw Percy being carried away, and then I saw blood flying from Elle's mouth. Her being carried away, her beautiful eyes closed in sleep. And then I saw the image of a look of complete rage among those golden glowing eyes of the guy named Sean. The memory almost made me pee my pants.

Time moved us again just before sunrise, the cool air smelled like wood and dew had covered me completely. Sean had taken Elle and Percy, now it was only Annabeth, Rachel and I.

"What happened?" Rachel mumbled, blinking up at the sun through the summer trees.

"I don't know," Annabeth said, rubbing her head. Was I the only one who saw these images of the previous night?

"You don't remember? The insane guy kicking Elle in the stomach, Percy and her being carried away by those creeps!" Birds in nearby trees flew away like you see in movies. I was yelling. Why was I yelling?

Suddenly, I was aware of this feeling that I was… What's the word? Powerful? It was strange. I've never felt anything like it before. It was like I drunk ten glasses of coffee and now I was really hyper, but it was different because I had more control then if I was hyper. I had energy, and I felt strong, confident.

"Who's Elle?" Annabeth looked at me confused. She didn't remember Elle? How could anyone NOT remember Elle?

"Grover, are you ok?" Rachel and Annabeth were looking at me, concern lurking on their faces. Was I ok? I felt ok. I felt better then ok! It was Elle and Percy that weren't ok. They were somewhere being held prisoner by Sean.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You aren't though! We met Elle yesterday; she has long black hair and eyes that change color! She's been traveling with us this whole time!" I was yelling again…

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember her," Annabeth said and Rachel shook her head.

"You do remember Percy though, right?" I asked, calming myself.

"Yeah, we have to find him so I can kick the guys' butts that took him!" She looked around. "We should follow those tracks west, maybe we can catch up to them," said Annabeth, pointing the opposite direction of the rising sun. I hadn't even noticed the slight indents in the ground and broken twigs on the trees near the footprints.

It was almost like they wanted us to follow them with how much evidence they had trailed through this forest like a bright red twine stringed through these trees. It was suspicious to me, but neither Annabeth nor Rachel said anything that told me that they were suspicious too.

They walked on without me, I wanted to call after them and tell them more about Elle, but if they really didn't remember at all then what was the use? So I glumly followed.

Our camp was actually way closer to civilization then we had thought. A truck stop and a long highway was what we found when we passed through the end of the trees. There was a big parking lot, with trucks parked side by side, a little gas station leading to the turnoff for the highway drivers. But the highway had barely any costumers at this early hour.

It seemed we were somewhere out in the country, tall trees on the other side of the highway, and big green hills in the distance hiding the indication of a city or even a town.

Truckers that were starting to get into their big vehicles were staring at us strange teenagers coming from the forest that they hadn't ever dared to go into before sunrise.

I quickly took the beanie from my front pocket and slipped it over my head making sure that my horns were fully covered as we started for the gas station.

The beanie didn't match my shirt anymore; I had changed out of the green dress shirt I wore for work to an "I (heart) New York" T-shirt from the gas station. Elle probably hadn't even noticed I changed… But why did I care? I mean, she's got giant ogres and gods coming to visit her to deal with… why would she notice me? It's not like I care if she doesn't look me in the eyes or that she doesn't even notice that I didn't eat the jerky she gave me 'cause I'm a vegetarian or moves away when I move a few inches closer or… I'm going to move on to another subject now.

I wondered what we were going to do at this truck stop. Highjack the first truck we see, or ask a psycho killer for a ride? We had no idea where they took Elle and Percy, the tracks had dissipated so we couldn't follow those and we had no idea where we were.

Thankfully, we didn't have to walk through the parking lot filled with drunks, smokers and gods knows what else. Instead we cut through the grass and walked straight up to the gas station. Only then did I see that one half was a gas station and the other half was a small diner. _Yes, thank the gods! I'm starved,_ I thought, picking up my pace a bit.

We entered the gas station with a ring from the bell on the door. A few big guys that I assumed were truckers were finishing up their food in one of the booths, watching us skeptically.

We walked up to the counter and started telling the lady behind it what we wanted. Her blue dress was stained with grease and ink, red hair messy in a bun, her nametag that read, "Meg" was scratched and had something that looked like caramel caked on the edges. She looked like a nice lady but talked like a trucker. Maybe truckers she talked to all day had rubbed off on her.

I ordered a breakfast special, which came with pancakes, eggs, hash browns and bacon. Annabeth and Rachel just ordered eggs and a few pancakes.

Meg went over to the cook and told them our order as we went and took one of the small tables, still getting suspicious glances from the truckers just starting to leave.

"What's our plan? How are we going to find Elle and Percy?" I said in a hushed tone. I didn't want to speak any louder in the quiet diner.

"You mean just Percy," Annabeth tried.

"No. They took Elle too, you just don't remember." I corrected her.

"Ok whatever, Grover." (Author's note right here: I really hate Annabeth. That is all)

Our talking was disturbed by a ring at the door and everyone turned their gazes over to a tall man in a dark jacket, which was strange because it was almost 80 degrees outside, and wearing a gray fedora slightly hiding his face. There was a boy by the man's side that seemed about 13 years old his face darkened by a hood of a blue sweatshirt to the point were I couldn't see it, and he seemed to try to not look our way.

They walked to the counter and the boy asked for a cup of coffee and chocolate milk. The woman smiled, nodded and turned to get their order but I could feel the fear coming from her.

Annabeth and Rachel started talking again but I made sure to keep an eye on the two as they took a seat in the table next to us. They didn't talk to each other and when the women brought them their drinks the boy took the coffee from who I assumed was his father, and guzzled it. The man just sat there and barely moved, holding the glass of chocolate milk with one hand.

"Order up!" the cook said and Meg brought us our food.

I ate it with much haste, and was finished just about the same time as Annabeth and Rachel were done with their food.

The boy stood, the man followed and walked to the cash register. We got up and stood in line behind them, waiting to pay.

The man stood looking at the woman like he was expecting her to give them something as the boy scrambled through his pockets. He finally found a five-dollar bill and gave it to the woman. She smiled at them and they turned around and left.

As they walked by I got a glimpse of the man, he had sharp features and a pale face, but what I noticed most was his eyes. They weren't glowing or anything like Sean's or Elle's eyes. No, where his eyes were supposed to be were stitches running across his face below a big black furry eyebrow.

My eyes widened at the man as the boy looked at me suspiciously and they walked out of the half diner.

Annabeth nudged me with her arm, "Grover, it's not nice to stare."

I gave them one last glance then looked away. As long as he's not attacking us I guess I'm ok with him.

We paid for our food with Annabeth's emergency credit card, asked where the nearest carwash was and left. Apparently we were going to go to a car wash try and call Chiron back at camp. I hadn't even thought about them, I heard about the horde of monsters attacking. I hoped everyone was ok.

We were about 15 yards away from the building when I started to hear this sort of buzzing sound and the others seemed to hear it too because they stopped. It was circling us slowly, getting louder and louder. Then suddenly it stopped and appeared in front of me was the man with stitches for eyes.

"Grover!" a little kids voice boomed.

I turned around and something smashed into me. He sat on my stomach trying to hold me down but I struggled, "Where is it?" He yelled.

"Who are you?" I yelled back still fending off his arms that were trying to get at my face.

That's when the hood shook off his head and Nico De Angelo's pale face stared at me angrily.

"Nico?" I said surprised.

"WHERE IS IT? I know you have it. I need it!" He yelled.

Sorry, kind of cliffy, but when am I ever NOT cliffy? I wanted to get it out today and I didn't want to make it to long. Should have another chapter out in about a week. Happy… What is it, Grover?

"I don't know, in my time it's summer."

Oh right… well, have a happy week!..?


	13. Chapter 13

**Dang it! Dang it!! DANG IT!!! Changing the prophecy! "One of TWELVE will die tomorrow, filling our hearts with endless sorrow. Start in the desert, finish in the sea, the end will bring half bloods eternally to their knees." Sorry but it didn't work with only seven, you'll find out later. I'm also going to tie in the prophesy from The Last Olympian later. I might change the name of the whole story too soon 'cause I don't like it even though it's kinda far into the story…. Oh well! ThaliaGrace04: I didn't like Juniper; she was a whiney baby that cried green yucky stuff. Anyways I can do whatever I want it's my story. :D Oh and happy New Year!!!!**

**Grover's POV** again…

Chapter 13

"WHERE IS IT? I know you have it. I need it!" Nico yelled.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I screamed.

He had hold of one of my wrists stopping me from attacking with that hand and I one of his when he stopped moving and attacking. He stared at me, unmoving, looking confused. Or was it guilty?

Everything was still for a moment, except for the buzzing of the monster that was preoccupying the others. After a few seconds of me contemplating what his next move was going to be, I took the moment to gain the upper hand. I tore free of his grip of my wrist and punched him right across his face.

He flung off of me from the force and lay on the grass next to me. _Wow, I'm stronger then I thought_. I jumped to my feet ready to fight but he didn't attack, he just stood slowly, rubbing the side of his jaw and brushing off his pants.

He looked up, saw that I was in a fighting position and held his hands up in surrender, "I'm not going to fight you." He came closer in a friendly way and signaled to his minion to stop circling Annabeth and Rachel. He did as ordered and went to stand behind his master, as Annabeth and Rachel came over to stand by me.

"Nico, what were you doing? Why did you attack Grover?" Annabeth said.

He cleared his throat, "Sorry about that, I thought you knew about it and that you wouldn't give it to me without me having to use force," He explained. "But now that I know that you don't know, then we can talk." He finished with a smile.

"That still doesn't explain what IT is." Rachel said what was on all of our minds.

"I'll…" He hesitated, "explain. But, um, should we go take a seat first?" He gestured to the diner we had just left. I couldn't imagine the poor woman's face if those two walked back into her diner, but it was either that or sit out here on the grass.

Nico held the door open and let the girls walk in first then me. Him and his monster went last. As soon as the waiter woman saw them her eyes widened, she dropped what she was doing and scurried through the kitchen door.

We took a seat at one of the tables, not bothering to order anything.

"Where have you been all these months, Nico?" Annabeth asked as we all sat down. He left just after Kronos's defeat. We were going to go look for him but Chiron stopped us saying, "He'll find his way back one day."

He looked at Annabeth unsure, "Um, around." He said plainly. "Anyway, down to business…" He sat on his legs, leaned in and talked in a hushed tone, "I brought him" He shifted his eyes to Eyeless and then back, " because any monster can smell you from practically halfway across the world. That's how I found you." He was looking at me.

"Me? Why me?" I said defensively.

"I didn't know it was you holding the stone until I just arrived and could tell that he was just going after you and only you. When my father heard about what the smell was he sent me to go retrieve it."

"Wait, the stone? What do you mean?" I asked leaning in too.

He smiled, "You don't even know you have it, do you?" He chuckled. "Wow, I knew you didn't know what it was but not knowing you even have it?" He laughed harder.

"Hey!" Annabeth said loudly stopping his fit. "What is it? Or better yet _where_ is it?"

Nico collected himself, "He has it." Nico pointed at me and they all stared at me. Except, of course, Eyeless who sat there motionless. A lot like how Elle would do. I would look over and she would be in the same position she had been in 30 minutes ago. She definitely wasn't like any other half-blood I've met who couldn't sit still if it saved their lives.

"Well where would it be?" I thought out loud, standing up and starting to check pockets.

Back pocket; nothing. Front pocket; fuzz. Pockets below front pockets; string and more fuzz. Side pockets; movie ticket from two months ago, oh and some fuzz. Pockets below side pockets… What was that?

I brought out a thin string with the ends tied tightly together, a faintly glowing stone magically attached to it on the end. I had frequently seen it around Elle's neck.

"That it?" I asked the wide-eyed boy.

"Afraid so," He tried to suppress a smile. "Thanks for keeping it for me. We'll be going now…" He stood, followed by Eyeless and reached for the necklace in my hand.

I pulled away, unsure if I should give it to him. It was Elle's. I don't know why she gave it to me but I have to keep it safe for her until I can get it back to her.

"Why do you want it?" I asked backing away as he leaned over the table more to reach me.

He suddenly looked distraught as our conversation grew louder, "I, um, I just need it, okay? Now give it to me!" He looked from the necklace to me and then back to the necklace again. I noticed he was slowly climbing on the table, his arm outstretched as far as it could go to the little stone on the string. I took another step back to keep out of his reach; my legs touched the nearby booth.

"I'm not going to give it to you until you tell me why you need it!"

He screamed like a kid would when he couldn't get what he wanted and nearly fell off the edge of the table.

Annabeth grabbed Nico, pulled him to her and held a celestial bronze knife to his throat. It was a little much but it got him to calm down.

"Tell us why you need the necklace," Annabeth said in a calm voice although I could tell by her face that she was unconfident to hold a knife to her old friend's throat.

"This is all I can take!" The woman squawked, flying out of the kitchen door, "You gang-bangers have to leave or I'm going to call the police!"

Everything was still for a few moments and I looked at Annabeth for direction. She looked back at me with a confused look, and after a moment, withdrew the knife from Nico's throat and slipped it to a hiding place unknown to me.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Annabeth turned to the woman and said, "We'll be leaving now." She grabbed Rachel and then me and pulled us out of the door.

"Wait!" Nico came running after us.

Annabeth stopped and turned around facing Nico when we were 5 yards away from the building. "What?" She retorted.

He hesitated, "I'll help you find Percy."

**To be continued… Next week on The Dragon's Stone (that's what I'm renaming it btw) **_**what, where am I? We've been asleep for how long?? Percy and me get help from my old friend. And Sean did WHAT?!?!? **_**I'm gonna start doing that from now on after each chapter just as a joke. But it will fit in with the next chapter so…. Yeah. TWO MORE YEARS 'TIL WE DIE!!! :P Have fun, read this FanFiction, live life and review before we all die please!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorry for the delay of the release of this chapter, the writer that has been playing with her birthday presents (**_**the video game Oblivion is the BEST video game in the wor-**_**) (shut up, your FIRED!!!) (**_**awww….**_**) instead of writing and has just been sacked. Thank you.**

Chapter 14

I felt I had an empty hole in my chest. One that had a blazing pain along with an uncontrollable feeling of anger. But who could I reflect that anger on but myself? It was my own hand that punched that hole through my chest in the first place. I took the stone from my neck and left it behind, along with my strength.

_What an IDIOT I am._

My head swarmed with unwanted thoughts, thoughts of my past, as I awoke in an unwanted situation. My eyes slowly opened and I saw MoJo's face. _Where am I?_

The pain was too bad to control, I clenched my eyes shut, my back arched inward and I screamed in pain. A hand covered my mouth quickly and a soft _'Sh!' _caressed my ear.

"You've had the pleasures of your mother's stone for to long," MoJo's soft whisper said in my ear.

He was right of course. I've worn it so long I've forgotten what it was like to not have it with me. To not have the power it possessed.

The pain was so bad I wanted scream and rage until the person who had the stone right this very second slipped the string that held the stone back over my head.

I remember the time when I didn't have the stone, a time where I was so young that my powers were just enough for me to control. A time where I could morph into little things like a puppy, fish, a cat, maybe even a small parakeet without having to use the stone.

I also remembered when a woman with wings and a light brown cloak appeared and gave me the stone. She came to me when I was just getting ready to run away the first time. She told me that I should stay at the Corpse **(go reread the last bit of chapter 4 'cause I changed something)** and that I could morph into bigger animals without the risk of not being able to go back into human form if I held the stone.

How old was I when that happened? Twelve? Yeah I think I was twelve, because he was still there when that happened. That's when I finally got what I always wanted, what we all wanted. I got his approval. I got stronger, faster and unfortunately for him, braver. He wanted someone who would be deathly afraid of him and wont ask questions when he told them to do something. I was perfect except the fact that I didn't like people telling me what to do without having a good reason.

"I will release your mouth if you promise not to scream," MoJo's voice snapped me out of my memories.

I relaxed my back and tried to breath deeply. I nodded when I thought I had the pain under control and he slowly removed his hand from my mouth.

I clenched my jaw hard and opened my eyes. I was looking at a dark interior of a small truck, probably a U-Haul truck. The only light was coming from the cracks in the edges of the walls and one of the truck's back doors was opened wide leading to the side of a concrete road, edged with bright green grass and tall thick trees almost making a archway over the us.

I turned my head back to inside the truck and saw that Percy was handcuffed to the opposite wall of me, his arms outstretched like a bird spreading its wings, his head hanging in sleep. Was I handcuffed too?

My arms moved instinctively to make sure I wasn't shackled when I felt the tug of the tight metal around my wrist. I shook my hands trying to loosen the grip it had on me but MoJo stopped me, "_Sh! _Sean's just outside. We have to hurry, he'll be back any second!"

I calmed myself as MoJo started unlocking the cuffs.

I was afraid to say anything, because if I opened my mouth a scream might escape, so I clamped my mouth shut tight as a thousand questions I couldn't ask ran though my head.

But there was one question that I couldn't even start to figure out: _Why did they take Percy along with me?_ If they wanted to kill him because he knew too much, then why not take the others too? They know just as much as he does. Wasn't it in the eighth chapter that Sean said that the "spell" wouldn't work on Percy either?

"_Eighth chapter"? What the heck am I talking about?_

A faint click pulled me from my thoughts and my wrist came loose from the wall. My wrist stung considerably, a ring of blood looped around the side of my wrist that had been taking the weight of my body. My shoulder was sore from keeping it in the same position for so long and my legs were asleep. _How long had we been out?_

A few seconds later and my other wrist was free. I nearly fell on my face trying to get my legs to stand my weight. 50 pounds of pure muscle, baby!

MoJo grabbed my arm and started walking toward the door, "Come on, lets go!" He said in barely more then a whisper.

I pulled away, "What about Percy?" I croaked.

He looked from me to Percy then back like he was trying to choose which one of us he was going to take with him.

"He'll just slow you down, your weak as is," He said it like he wasn't coming with us.

"Not leaving without him," I could only make out a whisper and then I gave him my look of stubbornness for good measure. I'm pretty sure he knew that look better then anyone.

"Elle, why do you have to give me that look… Fine, you can take him with you but we have to hurry!" He rushed over to Percy, lifted his chin and looked him in the eyes. Suddenly, Percy's eyes snapped open and he struggled frantically.

MoJo held his arms and did the same thing he did with me, "_Sh!_" He whispered and Percy calmed, his eyes scanning MoJo's face.

MoJo beckoned me over and started unlocking Percy's cuffs, I did what MoJo motioned to me to do and walked over to them.

When Percy saw me he looked at me suspiciously, "Hey!" He whispered, I could tell he was trying to keep his voice from MoJo whom he thought to be the enemy, "Where are we?" I could tell that that was not the real question he wanted to ask. He was trying to ask me if I had gone to the enemy's side.

I would've answered that question with a silent glare if I had gone to the other side, but instead I shook my head and put my finger to my lips.

He nodded in understanding and relief.

It was only seconds before Percy was out of the cuffs and rubbing his own bloody wrists.

MoJo pushed us out of the back of the van and I stumbled when my feet hit the concrete, it was then when I heard yelling. I could define Sean's yells in anger and one other voice that I didn't recognize. I got a glimpse of a police car parked in front of the U-Haul truck as MoJo ushered us through the thick trees.

We walked until we couldn't hear the yelling of Sean and the policeman, MoJo stopped and pointed onward, "Keep walking and you will come to a lake, go upstream and you will come to a small clearing, wait there until the sun falls. I sent for a ride for you and he will meet you there, he will take you wherever you want to go. As for me, I have to get back," He turned and started walking back the way we came.

"MoJo, wait! You have to come with us," I called.

He shook his head and I heard him make a small, mocking laugh, "You always try to do the impossible, Elle."

"That's because I frequently succeed," I could already hear the old, proper language that we used there in the village approaching near to my tongue.

He turned around slowly and smiled, "That's probably why you were everyone's favorite." I could see sorrow in his eyes. There was favoritism towards me, yes. But that just meant they pushed you harder and they put more punishment on you when you messed up. I never thought much about how they viewed me. They probably wanted to be the favorite. As for me, I wanted to be anything but.

He sighed when I didn't answer, "Sean must be looking for me, and he's not going to be to happy about you two escaping," He took a few steps back.

I stepped forward, "That's why you should come!"

"I can't, I'm sorry."

If he said he couldn't then he probably really couldn't. I didn't ask why, I just nodded. He knew what he was doing. Or at least I hope he does.

"Oh and, Elle, before I go. I have to tell you something." He came closer, just close enough where he could whisper and I would still hear, "When you were asleep… Sean…. Kissed…. You," He said with difficulty.

_Sean did what?!?!?_

I clenched my fists and started walking in the direction Sean was._ How dare he!_ "I'm going to kick his a-"

MoJo interrupted my rant, "Not now, you have to go, remember?" He said nervously, holding me back. "Besides, you want to kill him when you have full strength, right?"

I stopped. He had a point… "Fine," I said shaking from his grip.

"Ok," He held up his hands making sure I wasn't going to make a run for it. "Be careful," He said before turning around and running back toward that evil JERK! You can kick me, punch me, torture me, but no one **EVER** **KISSES ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!!!! **


	15. Chapter 15

**What a lazy bum I am! Instead of writing I was going to sleepovers and parties and crap! Well from now on, I'm going to be anti-social. Screw popularity, I WANNA BE A WRITER! :D**

**Too, Yummers. (I really hate anonymous questions because then I can't answer them without having to do this whole thing in the first part of my chapter! And I love to answer y'alls questions.) So anyways, Yummers, apparently you completely misunderstood that chapter. She did not turn entirely into a gorilla; she just took the strength of one. I can't explain everything in the first 20 or so chapters and Elle is just the kind of person that gets annoyed easily. Honestly Annabeth annoys me too 'cause she's a real know-it-all and that's just really annoying to me. A person telling me that I can't or should do something because of some long explanation is really stupid. I'm gonna do what I want thank you very much. Lol I'll try to do better explaining in the future.**

**Filler chapter, sorry if it sucks!**

Chapter 15

Percy…and me…alone…in the forest…. Can somebody say awkward?

I hid that I was in pain well but not well enough, he glanced at me frequently and I could see concern in his eyes as I grasped my stomach wishing the pain would end which just made things even more awkward.

It took what seemed like forever to get to the thin stream after departing from MoJo. Honestly I wanted to lie down and die instead of walking, but I couldn't do that to everybody. I had to stay alive to make sure that Sean didn't kill anyone, and God knows he's going to kill someone with the issues that kid's got.

Percy started walking down the edge of the stream, going the opposite way the water was flowing. I followed him, walking only yards behind. He was leader now, while Leader-Elle 500 is out of commission. Yes, that's right boys and girls; the Mighty Elle has been fired with a nice blow to the nose as a going away gift. She was underpaid anyway.

I don't know how many twists and turns that stream took us but after a long while we arrived at the clearing MoJo said would be there. Only one acre of tall grass and flowers surrounded by trees, truly a very small clearing. A perfect hiding place and would be a wonderful place to sleep in. Fold over some grass and you'd have a perfect grass bed. Out of all the things you can make with grass, the best is a bed... Well, at least it out ranks a grass skirt.

Suddenly, I got very tired, maybe it was the thought about sleeping and beds, so I walked ahead of Percy whom was still admiring the scene, and laid down right in the middle of the beautiful place.

I did what I said and folded over the grass to make a soft bed. After lying down I put one hand behind my head and one on my forehead to shield my eyes from the sun. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind.

I didn't know how long I had been asleep but when I woke up the sun was in the west and was hiding behind the tall trees.

I looked around trying to find Percy when I smelled smoke. I looked behind me and saw that Percy had cleared a small circle from grass, dug a hole and had built a fire.

"Good morning," He smiled at me, and then continued to poke at the fire.

"What are these?" I said gesturing to a pile of leaves, flowers, leafs and berries lying beside him.

"Um, I guess I kind of went foraging. These berries are really good," He said picking up a red berry from a pile of them and popping it into his mouth.

I moved closer off of my bed and into the circle. I picked up one of the red berries and looked at it. I recognized this kind of berry. "Percy, these berries are laxative if you eat to many," I said to him as he shot me a worried glance.

"How many is too many?" He asked.

"Fifteen, twenty."

Relief passed over his face, "Oh, good! I only ate a few."

"Good." I looked at the pile again. "This," I said picking up a dark green leaf, "Did you eat this?"

"No, why?"

"Good, its poisonous." I threw the leaf in the fire, can't eat it but you can burn it.

I went on and started picking out the poisonous plants. He wasn't very good at picking out the edible plants but he sure was good at getting the poisonous ones.

"None of that was edible?!" He asked, surprised.

"Nope."

"Well, what about this?" he said and pulled out a stunning white and purple flower from behind his back. _What an animated character_, a person with a British accent said in my head. Call me crazy.

"Let me see." I took it from him and scrutinized the beautiful leaf like pedals. "This is Colorado's state flower. Illegal to pick." I smiled as he gave me a horrified look. "Don't worry, it's still edible," I said jokingly. His horror turned lax as he laughed.

Things continued like this, joking and talking, until he stopped and his face got a shade darker. "Why do you call him MoJo?" He said out of the blue.

I remembered when I first saw the little boy with hair so fair that it looked almost white, with only a hint of a sand color in its roots.

The man that trained us separately, Rasmus, finally got the orders to introduce us all to each other when we were only five years old, before any of my powers had developed. Somehow we were all seemed the same age when we met.

"Hello, my name is Morpheus Jr.!" The little boy said, walking up to me, smiling brightly, as he pointed at himself. "I was named after my father, just regular Morpheus, not Jr."

"Your name is Morpheus Jr.?" I asked and he nodded.

I pursed my lips, and then smiled as I had an idea, "Can I just call you MoJo?"

His eyes lit up, "Yeah!" He said with joy. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask, what is your name?"

I didn't know. I didn't have one, I even asked Rasmus to check but he just yelled at me saying that my parents didn't care enough about me too give me a name like MoJo's father. That made me sad. If he said that to me today I would punch him in the nose.

MoJo saw that I was sad as I looked at my toes, "That's ok!" He said to get me to look at him, "I will just call you "Pretty Girl"." So from then on he was MoJo to me. My name changed around a lot. When I turned seven, I got some of my powers and then they called me something that I thought was my name…

"Elle? Are you okay?" Percy said breaking my memory bubble. But I would only call it a "bubble" in my head.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I croaked. I cleared my throat before giving him the answer, "MoJo is short for Morpheus Jr." My voice sounded small, like I was a little kid again.

"Where do you know him from?" He asked in a soft voice.

I looked at the ground.

"The Corpse," said a whisper, but I wasn't sure if it was me who said it.

"The Corpse? Like as in a dead body?" I could see his disgusted expression out of the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, Rasmus called it that. He said that our village was just a shell, and that it had no soul. He said that we were the soul that brought it to life, Sean, MoJo, and me." I explained, without looking at him.

"Rasmus?" He asked, but I didn't want to answer this question aloud.

Rasmus was kind of our keeper. He said that he was there to train us and make sure we didn't get hurt, but it was more like he was there to hurt us. He was the one you went to too get punishment, or if you were unlucky like me he would be there too train you full time.

Rasmus was undoubtedly half the cause I left the Corpse.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look kind of sick," Percy interrupted the explanation to myself. Well, of course I look sick, more then half of my strength is gone! But I knew that wasn't really the cause of my sweaty palms and pale face.

I cleared my emotions and put on my regular blank face. "I'm fine."

It was dark, the moon and the fire was the only light for me now. My powers had faded so therefore I do not have tapetum lucidum (seeing in the dark, 'case you didn't take science)... Stupid, technical, old English! It always sneaks up on me and makes me think with an accent.

I felt the gust of wind sting on my back and a loud _BOOM!_ echoed through the clearing. I turned and saw what looked like a black unidentifiable shape, darker then the darkness surrounding it.

"Percy what is that?" I asked in a quiet whisper.

He stood up slowly, bringing out his sword that seemed to come out of nowhere, "I don't know." He paused thinking, "Get behind me." He held out his hand to help me up, still keeping his eyes on the unknown creature.

Normally, I would protest saying that I didn't need anyone to protect me or help me stand, but right now I was too week to barely protect a strain of grass, how could I protect myself?

I took his hand, stood unsteadily, and moved quickly behind him, trying the best I could to not touch the fire.

He stood in a battle stance in front of me, as the form seemed to move closer to us making noises that sounded like shallow, sharp intakes of air. _Its called _panting_, _I thought at myself.

The form stilled for a few seconds, still panting, then tipped over and disappeared in the grass.

"PERCY!" A girl screeched.

He lowered his sword, "Annabeth?"

**Should I say something? No, I don't want to say something… I'm already reluctant to write the thing before the chapter… but after? I think it's a little much…**

"_**You've already written something saying that your not going to write something you, idiot!"**_

**Thanks for being supportive,**_** Elle. **_**You know I have issues!**

"_**Lizz has gone away to go cry now so I can say whatever I WANT!! Yay! #$%!!!!…" "*$# IT! She bleeped out the ^%$ words! ^%$# you, Lizz! Wait, I didn't say a cuss word. I just said ^%$…. THAT'S NOT A CUSS WORD!!! ^%$# IS NOT A F%$#&* CUSS WORRRRD!!!!!!"**_

**Hehehehe…. I love payback….**


	16. Chapter 16

**I am a GENIOUS!! I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. But anyways, go reread chapter 6 'cause I redid the prophesy (I know, again.. but this time its way better! Ooo I'm so excited!!) Anyways, enjoy this story I have for you. (The end is at the bottom.)**

**This is what happened a few days ago:**

**I was walking down the street, just left my friends house and started walking home, when I heard an all-familiar voice.**

"**Heeeey…" A breathy whisper in my ear and I turned around to see a VERY familiar face. "Elle?"**

"**In the flesh!" She snarled. She looked angry. **

"**But… how?" was all I could say.**

"**See, when you're not using me for that story of yours, I get trapped in your subconscious mind. And you haven't been letting me out of your mind a lot these past few weeks. But see, now, I've escaped!" She smiled, which she never does. She must be really proud of herself.**

"**YOU ESCAPED FROM MY MIND???" I yelled.**

_**Slap!**_** She hit me across the face, "That's for being stupid."**

"**Must've been stupid to create you…" I muttered, rubbing my cheek. **

_**Slap!**_** She hit me across the other side of my face.**

"**Ow," I glowered. "My subconscious mind hurts me…"**

"**I should slap you again but I gotta go. I just stopped to tell you goodbye. So, BYE!" She said and ran away, laughing, "TRY WRITING THAT STORY WITHOUT ME!!! Mwuahahahahaha!"**

Chapter 16

Annabeth jumped through the grass wall and ran to give Percy a hug.

I heard rustling past them and looked to see, only to see Grover come out of the darkness. I was relieved that it wasn't a monster and was happy that it was Grover. Now I can have my stone back!

"Elle!" He smiled and pushed past Percy and Annabeth to get to me.

"Do you have the stone?" I asked him, really hoping that he didn't drop it or something stupid like that.

"Yeah." He took it out of his pocket and held it out to give it to me.

I was just about to take it when he withdrew, staring at the stone.

"Grover," I said in a stern voice.

He looked at me, confusion lingering on his furry features. "Huh?"

"Give me it, please?" I asked, as nicely as I could make my inpatient tone sound. I couldn't be rude to him and then end up that he wouldn't give it to me. Part of me was screaming to punch him and take it from him but I restrained myself.

He looked back to the stone hanging from the string in his hand and his eyes glazed over.

I could feel Percy and Annabeth looking at us curiously, their voices unfocused.

"Who's that girl?" I heard Annabeth ask Percy.

I ignored them, "Grover," I said again.

He started to hand the stone to me again and I reached for it. Suddenly, it was gone. Something moved between us and snatched it from Grover before I could take it from him.

I looked to the right, the way the thing went, and saw a boy with dark hair and pale skin, wearing a black cape standing on the other side of the fire. He turned around to face us and seemed to smile evilly at me, which just made him look plain evil with the gleam of the fire on his face.

That was all I could take. I had to go a full day without _my_ stone only to have it taken away by some _brat_ that doesn't even have the decency to tell me his name before I have to kill him.

I screamed in rage, charged, jumped over the fire and landed on top of him.

"Get away from me!" He screamed fighting back as I sat on his belly trying to get the stone from his clenched fist.

I got a punch in, trying to distract him but it barely dazed him. "It's MY stone, I have the RIGHT to take it from you!" I yelled at him.

I hit him again but, again, it didn't do much as he continued to try to get me off of him.

Suddenly, someone grabbed both of my arms and pulled them behind my back, pulling me to my feet.

I kicked at the dark haired kid still wanting revenge. I only got one kick to hit him but it only hit his shin and it didn't seem to affect him at all.

I noticed Percy was the one who grabbed my arms as I got out of range of attacking distance of the kid and Percy sat me down on the edge of the cleared circle.

The kid jumped up quickly making sure Percy had me under control and was just about to run away when Grover stepped in. He ran up and grabbed one of the kid's arms before he could take off. I silently cheered for Grover.

The kid moved fast, as he swung his other arm around and hit Grover on the side of his face with the palm of his hand. Dazed, Grover stumbled back but didn't let go which just made the kid stumble and fall over, pulling Grover with him, just missing the fire.

The fall made Grover let go and the kid got up from beside him.

"Nico, wait!" Percy yelled letting go of me and taking a few steps toward the kid.

Nico looked up at Percy, "I need this," He said holding up the stone. "I'm not giving it back no matter what!"

"Ok," Percy said, walking closer holding his hands up in surrender. When he got close enough he helped Grover up and they both backed away from the kid.

"Why do you want the stone, anyway?" Percy asked casually.

"Yeah, why do you want MY stone?" I said bitterly getting up and walking closer to the boy. I absentmindedly mapped out what I was going to do if he tried to run away again. How would I come at him, where would I attack, what could I throw at him…?

Nico glared at me and then turned to Percy. "My father wants it," he sighed looking at the ground.

"Hades?" Annabeth asked. "Why does Hades want this measly little stone on a old string?"

"Who's Hades?" I asked quietly, not wanting to interrupt.

Grover, who was nearest to me, glanced at me but didn't say anything.

"I don't know," Nico admitted to Annabeth. "He just said that if I retrieved it I would be his new adviser." I could see a glint in his eyes at the thought of being his father's right hand man.

I assume he's a half-blood too. That must mean that his father is a god. I've only talked briefly to Hermes, who I was told is a god, when he gave us some money. That was kind of helpful. All of the other gods seem like real jerks.

_Where did that money go that that "god" gave us, anyway?_ I wondered, _After I get my stone back I'll see if Percy still has the roll of money. Then maybe I can buy some beef jerky…_

"I'm sorry, Nico, but I can't let you steel that stone," Percy said. "It's Elle's and-"

"I am NOT giving it back too you!" He screamed as the ground started to shake.

Percy stumbled, along with everyone else, except for Nico, as he gestured for Nico to calm down. "I don't want to fight you, Nico, but I will if I have to." He yelled over the loud sound of the earth rumbling.

The earth went quiet long enough for Nico to quietly mumble a few words, "Then I guess you have a fight." He raised his fists and commanded a fissure to open up behind him; darkness flowed out of it and around his feet, skeletal arms reached out of the break in the ground trying to reach the land of the living.

Whatever this "Hades" was the god of it's pretty creepy.

Percy, trying to out-do Nico's impressive power, pulled a wave of water from almost everything around him and made two giant water tornado looking things, one on each side of him. And all he did was raise his hands.

I give Nico a 6.5 and Percy a 7., just because Nico's routine gave me the creeps… but don't tell him I said that.

Grover and Annabeth backed away trying to get out of where there would be a fight. I followed.

There really wasn't enough room for a fight out here. Percy backed into the grass slowly giving him and Nico barely enough room to fight. Nico's fissure was on the very tip of where the grass-line was.

Nico smiled menacingly. "Oh, this is going to be good," I heard him mumble as at least 50 skeletons jumped from the fissure with all sorts of ancient armor and swords, or old uniforms from other countries.

The skeletons charged Percy but he just sent one of his water-whirlwinds after them and they flew away just bones and clothes.

Nico called for extra skeletons and more leaped from the fissure into the battle.

Percy sent a wave from the right crashing down on Nico and the new skeletons before they even had time to charge him. The skeletons fell to pieces, Nico stood there soaked with a look of anger.

"Fine then," Nico said, standing up from a battle stance. Maybe he's giving up?

Then his smile returned, "I have a few tricks up my sleeve." Or maybe not…

I saw Nico move swiftly but then I couldn't see anything, the fire that was the only source of light suddenly went out. All I could see was the half of the moon that wasn't covered by trees.

I heard a soft laugh, slowly growing louder into a slow and menacing "Mwuahahaha…."

"How do you like it here in the dark, Percy?" Nico said, as soon as the laughing stopped.

I heard grunting, a few splashes of water, bones knocking together. All the while I couldn't see, which frustrated me greatly. _If only I had my stone…_

"We can do this all night but I'll never get tired, Nico. Remember? I'm invincible," I heard Percy call out to his invisible attacker, and could almost picture the cocky smile. I remembered the dream I had at the camp, where Percy told Annabeth that the only spot that could kill him was the small of his back.

"You're not the only one who can bathe in river Styx, Percy." Nico laughed.

"What?" Percy sounded surprised.

"That's right, Percy. Your not the only invincible here."

_The prophecy._

**Two days after Elle escaped (yesterday):**

**I had looked all over my neighborhood looking for Elle. I asked my neighbors if they've seen a morally absent girl running around anywhere. I put up "lost character" fliers. I even tried calling the pound but I had no luck.**

**Then, I had an idea. And you know those things are dangerous.**

**I looked in the closet of stuff that my dad had packed away in case of emergencies and in one of the bags I found… beef jerky.**

**Needless to say, I opened the bag and she came running. It was a little bit harder to get her back inside my head but I don't think you really want to hear about that… believe me you **_**don't**_** want to hear about **_**that**_**.**

**And that is my completely TRUTHFUL excuse of why I couldn't get this chapter out earlier. **


	17. Chapter 17

**I've just gotta say, I cannot wait 'til Clash of the Titans comes out! It looks soooo amazing!! Anyone named Perseus has gotta be pretty awesome.**

**Anyways, I'm going to take this chapter to explain what happened to Nico and how he became invincible and junk, 'cause someone so wonderfully pointed out that you have to have your mother's consent to bathe in the river Styx and, inconvenient as it is, Nico's mother died…. :'( Anyway I tried to make it as interesting and funny as possible. Nico is fun to play around with (it sounds dirty but I don't mean it that way). Ah, you'll see what I mean…**

Chapter 17

Nico had overheard from one of the servants that his father was going to invite him to dinner tonight to casually talk to him about something important. Although the gods didn't eat mortal food his father seemingly was going to have someone make a special dinner just for him to eat with his father and his father's wife.

He was pacing side to side by his bed in his darkened room. The walls of his room were like any other walls in the rooms in his father's castle, made purely of the dark, so dark that it almost had a purple tint to it.

As he paced he was thinking about what he was going to say to his father, going through scenarios of what his father would say and what he might say back.

" 'So, what did you do today, son?'" He said, mimicking his father's deep voice and nervous tone like he thought he would to try to strike up a conversation.

" 'Oh, the usual. Played fetch with Cerberus, helped with the spirit traffic…'" He stopped. Why would he say that? He didn't do either. Maybe to get his fathers praise?

He hit himself on the forehead, "Stupid, stupid…"

"Okay, start over…" he said calming himself then started pacing again.

" 'Son, what did you do today?'"

" 'Nothing much. How about you?' Yeah, that's good. Keep it brief and simple."

" 'Oh, the usual. I played fetch with Cerberus and dealt with the spirit traffic!' Ugh, what am I going to do!" He threw his head back and covered his face.

"Going to do about what?" said a female voice at the door.

He spun to face a young girl at the door, her pale face bore a mocking smile, her maroon colored eyes still shining with that honesty that she always had. She would always tell you what she thought, even if it hurt your feelings if she said it.

"That's not for you to know, Alexsa!" he said trying to sound threatening but couldn't stop the embarrassed heat in his face.

She half stepped in, still holding the door open and gave a soft smile, "Very well."

She wore a ragged dress, one that fit the stereotype of a typical servant dress, and her long auburn hair in a ponytail. Although Nico heard when he got to his father's castle that she was a half-blood of Persephone, she was still treated like a maid. He hadn't been told why, but he had a few guesses.

And one of those guesses was his father. Quick to anger also means quick to make jealous.

That's why he must be careful what he says at dinner tonight. If, of course, he actually does get invited to dinner.

"Well, what do you want? Or did you just come here to overhear me talking to myself?" he said after a second of silence.

"So, you do admit you were talking to yourself." Another mocking smile.

She only talked to him this way, with everyone else it was 'Yes, sir' 'No, ma'am' 'As you wish, sir' but not with him, and that sometimes made him aggravated.

She giggled as his face turned red.

"Okay, I was just joking don't get all embarrassed. I came to tell you that your father has invited you to dinner. You're having hamburgers and he said that they would be in the second main dining room on the left and for you to meet them there." She nodded once before turning to leave.

"Wait, aren't you going to wait for me to tell you if I'm going to go or not?"

She looked back and giggled at him, "I don't have to." And then she left, the dark door evening back into the wall again behind her.

Nico wore a button up long sleeve black shirt, his usual cape and some black jeans. It took him the full 2 hours before dinnertime to pick out what he was going to wear before he finally found it.

"Not too casual, but not too dressy either," he said to himself when he found the dress shirt and jeans.

He walked down a long hallway, looking for the 'second main dining room on the left' as Alexsa had told him but couldn't find it anywhere. He had been living here a full month only leaving when he needed food and more clothes, and still he hadn't been everywhere in the big castle.

He heard something and walked faster around a turn ahead, hoping he would be able to get directions from someone.

He was surprised when he saw Alexsa standing to the right of a towering door. At the top of the door was three vicious looking heads of a dog poking out of the wall. All three of them were looking down at him and bearing their teeth.

"About time you showed up," Alexsa said when he stood frozen looking at the very realistic looking Cerberus heads made out of stone.

He looked at her and approached hesitantly, hoping the sharp teeth of one of the heads didn't accidentally crash down and bite off his head. Cerberus wasn't as vicious as they made him look.

"Sorry, I got lost," he gave a small, nervous laugh.

"Mm, I'm never going to forgive you," she said sarcastically. "I like what your wearing by the way," she put a finger on her chin observantly, "Not too casual, but not too dressy either!"

He blushed and looked down, "Yeah."

"But anyway, your father is waiting for you. Right this way," she said, and gestured to the door. She gripped the handle and struggled a little bit to get it open. He offered to help but she refused.

When she got it opened enough he stepped through it and suddenly heard a greeting from his dad.

"Ah, there you are, Nico!" He said standing up from the table and walking over to him. "Come, sit down." He led him to a chair on the other end of a good-sized dining room table that sat in the middle of the dim lighted room.

The only light the room had was some candles on the table and two tiki-torch looking things on either side of the door he had come in from. The lack of light made the pictures of the horrors of the underworld on the dark walls look even more sinister then they had when he could see them clearly.

His father took his old seat at the other end of the table, his wife to his right, who was frowning smugly at him.

He gave a pitiful smile back and looked away as she did the same.

His father snapped his fingers, "Bring out the food!" he called and out of nowhere someone placed a plate with a big juicy hamburger in front of him, sided with fries which were heavily seasoned and then they placed a soda to the right of that.

He looked to thank them but no one was there.

"Ooh, wonderful ambrosia and nectar… _again_." Said Persephone sarcastically.

_I know where Alexsa gets her sarcasm,_ Nico thought.

"Oh, it's not that bad." His father seemed in a strangely good mood and he wondered if it was because he was eating dinner with him. He hoped that was the case.

He was about halfway through his hamburger when his father spoke again. He cleared his throat and wiped his mouth before talking, "Um, so, son. What did you do today?"

This is one of the things he thought his father would ask him and he remembered what to respond with, "Oh, not much. How about you?"

"Um," he paused. "Oh, the usual. Today I played fetch with Cerberus and dealt with the spirit traffic!"

Nico was just about to say something stupid back like 'cool!' but Persephone abruptly stood up from the table.

"I can't take all the awkwardness and the tension between you two, anymore! Just hurry up and tell him what you invited him here to tell him!" She yelled then left the table and walked out the door.

His father cleared his throat again, "Sorry about her. I think it's that time of the month…" He gave a small laugh.

Nico worked up the courage to speak, "I don't mean to be disrespectful but I think she's right. What did you want to speak to me about, father?"

"Well, I guess I'll have to ask you sooner or later… And I choose later!" He stood up from the table.

"Father!" Nico stood too.

"Okay, okay. Sit back down, I'll tell you." They both sat back down. "I want you to go to the land of the living and take something. Something very important to the… well being of the underworld."

"What is it?" Nico asked.

"Its something very small, a talisman or a small stone or rock."

"Who has it? Where do I find it?"

"It's a moving target, that's why I want you to bring a monster with you that can smell it. It has a smell even more powerful then a half-bloods."

"Who has it?" Nico repeated.

His father looked down nervously, "Percy Jackson is guarding it…" he said quietly.

"I can't defeat and steal something that Percy Jackson is guarding! He's invincible now, I can never defeat him!" Nico stood putting his palms on the table and looked at his father.

"But you must try! This is for the well being of my realm."

"I must become invincible first. Then I might stand a chance against Percy…" Nico said, almost to himself.

"But you can't. You'll die without your mother."

"You're the lord of the dead, keep me from not dying!" Nico smiled. He'd never thought of this before. It might work.

"I won't allow you," his father crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Then I'll jump in the river by myself. Whether I die or not is your choice."

**I was going to write what happened in the river but it's already a really long chapter. I don't know if I'm going to do anything with this new girl, "Alexsa" I don't know y'all will have to tell me if you like her or not and if I should do anything with her. I based her off of my best friend Jenna, (now you know what I have to go through) :P just kidding, Jenna. (no I'm not)**


	18. Chapter 18

Had some trouble figuring out what was going to happen next, but I think I picked the right thing. There were just so many scenarios and so many choices! :D I'm happy though. That means you should be happy too! Are you happy? For those of you who aren't, shame on you.

Chapter 18

"That's right, Percy. You're not the only invincible here." Nico said.

There was a moment of shock where no one said anything. Everyone was processing what Nico had just said.

Me on the other hand, I was thinking of back at camp where Rachel Dare told me the prophecy. I remembered one line that talked about "invincibles". _Unite two invincibles, and five baring ancient blood._ Is this what she was talking about? Nico and Percy?

"That doesn't even make sense," Percy said, almost to himself. "If you bathed in the river then you'd be dead! You don't have your mother to keep you alive, that's the whole reason I became invincible in the first place, because you couldn't."

"Yes, but now it's a different battle. It's not a battle between you and Kronos anymore," Nico said and paused.

I could barely tell where his voice was coming from, so it must've been near impossible for Percy to know where he is. I could see Percy every once in a second whipping around as Nico's voice bounced around him.

"Now it's a battle between you and me," Nico continued. "And I had to become invincible to win this battle." His voice got lower as he spoke until everything became deathly silent and I strained my ears to hear what was going on but could only hear Percy's hard breathing.

Long seconds past as I held my breath.

"Percy, lookout!" Someone screamed.

A flash of light came from… somewhere and zoomed right passed Percy's head, and behind it lit up the face of an angry Nico and the spiked mace he was holding above his head, seconds away from hitting Percy over the head. All of this I saw in a flash of a light.

Nico let out a loud _Ugghh!_ and he flew backward, some of the blue light still squirming around on his stomach.

I almost ran over and ripped the stone from Nico's grip before he could get up, but something stopped me: a tug in my gut, a little girl's voice in my head that screamed and shook with fear. Or maybe that was just the hunger getting to me?

I turned my head to where the blue light came from and realized that neither Grover nor Annabeth was the cause of the strange light hitting Nico.

"Who's there?" Percy called, his voice small. He must've noticed it was no one from our group that helped him too.

"Percy, long time no see!" a girl said and I heard something move.

"That sounds like…" Annabeth said beside me, but her voice faltered.

"Annabeth! I knew you'd be somewhere close to Percy." I heard a playful laugh and more movement.

A few seconds later the girl appeared out of darkness in front of us, Percy next to her. I could see dark hair braided with silver thread that came below her shoulders. She was holding a silver bow and wore a white blouse and brown leather pants that you would see archers wear in movies placed in the 1600's or so.

I've never gone to school; you can't blame me if I got the year wrong.

"Oh my gods. Thalia!" Annabeth screeched and went to give this "Thalia" a hug.

"I haven't seen you in _so_ long!" Thalia said before they broke apart.

"I know!" Annabeth said.

"What are you doing out here in the middle of the night, anyway?" asked Percy.

"Oh, I was hunting," responded Thalia.

"In the middle of the night?" Percy asked, surprised.

She shrugged, "That's when I do some of my best hunting."

"Oh, Thal, look at how much your hair has grown!" Annabeth picked up Thalia's braid off of her shoulder and stroked the end. "Your hair grows so much faster then mine."

"Yeah, just one of the perks of being a Hunter!" She laughed.

"Sorry to interrupt 'hair time'," I said and everyone looked at me. "But what about Swiper that wasn't supposed to swipe, over there?" I said and gestured to where Nico flew off to.

"Oh yeah, crap!" Percy said, and ran over to where I gestured, followed by Thalia.

I crossed my fingers hoping he hadn't run off with my stone. A few seconds later Percy came back with Thalia, "We couldn't find him."

Just my luck.

"Well, we have to go after him," I said, hoping they would agree. I couldn't go by myself.

"We don't even know where he went! He could be anywhere." Percy flailed his arms around him to show 'anywhere'.

"Before you both started fighting, he did say he needed the stone 'cause his father wanted it. So he's probably taking it to his father," I concluded.

"Who is this?" Thalia interrupted.

"I'm Elle. Now can we go after that kid?" I raised my voice.

"You know, he's not really a kid, he's only a year younger then you," Percy said.

"Oh, so this is that 'Elle' you were screaming about Rachel and me 'forgetting' back at the truck stop," Annabeth said to Grover.

"Yeah, but-" Grover said before everyone started talking at the same time and I couldn't listen to all of them at once.

Thalia was asking Percy what my godparent was and she exploded with questions when he said Gaia. Percy started asking about where Rachel was and why she didn't come. Grover and Annabeth were debating my existence, which was strange since I was standing right here.

"How is it that you people always get off subject?" I yelled over all the talking.

No one answered.

"Can we go after Nico _now_?" I said through clenched teeth, getting mad. "He said he was going to take my stone to his father, does anyone know where his father is?"

"The underworld," Percy answered, after a short pause.

Now we were getting somewhere.

"Okay. You know of how to get there?"

"Yeah, but it would take a little while on foot."

"We could use the hellhound we-" Annabeth gestured to Grover and herself, "used to get here," she said.

_Hellhound??_

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Percy said, "Thalia, can you give us some light so we can find it really quick?"

"Sure thing," Thalia said before putting down her bow and shooting lightning from her hands. She made a circular motion with her arms and a long bolt of lightning circled above the place making everything have blue tint.

"There you are," Percy said looking down after only a minute of searching.

We all went over to where he was standing, accept for Thalia who was still making light for us, and looked down at the sleeping hellhound. Even though the big ol' thing was bigger then most hellhounds I've seen, it didn't look as threatening as they did when they were awake. It just looked like a giant Rottweiler puppy.

Thalia stopped and walked over to us.

"This thing is going to take us to the underworld?" I asked, really doubting this theory.

"Yep," Annabeth answered before turning to Percy. "Nico said his name is Tyrannosaurus, but he responds to Mr. T."

"Okay, like in the A Team?" I joked.

"Yep," She said back with a serious expression.

Okay…

"Mr. T," Percy sang, and the big hound's eyes snapped open. "Mr. T!" He said louder and the thing sprang to his feet. "Good, boy."

Now that it was up on it's feet, I could see how big it really was, and it was BIG. I mean, if you had a horse, like one of those really big ones with the furry hooves, and compared it to this hellhound, the horse would look like a miniature poodle. It was about four times the size of a regular sized horse.

"We're going to _ride_ on this thing?" I asked looking up at the thing. But when I did his head got low, he showed his teeth and looked straight at me.

I took a step back and he started to growl.

"I don't think he likes me." I pointed out the obvious. Nobody disagreed.

_Shh!_ Percy said and started to walk up to it, "It's okay, boy." The dog turned to him and started to pant as Percy scratched behind his ears.

"Okay, everybody ready to go to the underworld?" Percy asked.

There were a few 'yeah' 's and 'sure' 's then Percy leaned in and whispered something in Mr. T's ear.

When Percy was done Mr. T bent down and Percy called out, "All aboard!"

When my turn came to get on, Mr. T turned his head and gave a low growl but Percy scolded him. He stopped growling and whimpered.

For a dog named Mr. T he wasn't that tough. I pity the fool.

I slipped on and crawled to the back. Then Percy climbed on, sat on the front and whispered something in Mr. T's ear again. Mr. T stood up and suddenly everything was moving, the wind hit my face hard and I slid back a little bit. I tried to grab on to Mr. T's fur but it was so short there wasn't much to grab onto.

I slipped until I was over its rump and down his tail. I tried to grab Mr. T's tail but since life hates me, right at that very second, Mr. T jumped over something and I went flying.

I went airborne for a few short seconds, hit the ground hard and rolled, ripping my jeans, scraping my forearms and hitting my forehead on the ground.

I stopped rolling and lay on my back, resting for a second. Then I sat up and looked for the big hellhound in the distance but couldn't see anything but buildings and a lively street.

_Oh, crap. This can't be good._

**La la la la la… OH! Hello there. Why are you reading this? Aww, because you like me? That's not what you said? Oh… well then I don't like you…! No, I couldn't say that truthfully. No, I love you guys! Love you dearly, not queerly! But anyways, please review, even if it does just say three words I will be sooo happy! And you wanna make me happy right? 'cause, you know, like I said before if I'm happy you should be happy!**

** Okay... all right... I'll shut up now…**


	19. Chapter 19

When I first started, I could've never imagined how popular this would be. This is the first FanFiction I've ever written! Shhhhh… it's a secret…. Almost chapter 20!! YAY!!! Like, what, 30 more chapters to go? Hmm… I wonder… NOPE I'm not going to do it. I AM GOING TO FINISH THIS!!! *determined look*

Chapter 19

Well, there I was, abandoned and alone, sitting in the middle of the street in a city that I didn't know where it was or what it was called.

_Oh crap. I'm sitting in the middle of the street._

I turned to the right, the opposite way the hellhound went, and saw the grill of an 18-wheeler. Close to death, I quickly lay flat and let it pass over me, being careful not to move, hoping it didn't turn and I would get run over.

When it passed over I jumped up quickly and dove to the left out of the way of more oncoming cars and onto the safety of the sidewalk. The cars honked, but at least I was safe. Or at least for the moment.

Everyone stared at me suspiciously as I stood breathing hard from another close to death encounter. I was the strange girl that fell from the giant dog that was running so fast that no one could see it. I was the strange girl with cuts and bruises all over her body and a bloody forehead from a hard fall.

I was, above all, screwed. Completely and utterly screwed.

_What a pickle you got yourself into._

You know how when you get split up from your parents or people that are watching you, and how you're supposed to stay where you are until someone comes to get you? Well that crossed my mind, for a split second, but then something else caught my attention.

I breathed in deeply and closed my eyes. Something smelled _so_ good! I didn't know what it was but I needed to find it. I _needed_ to eat whatever smelled so heavenly…

Meanwhile…

Grover was the first to notice that Elle was gone. Of course he was the first to notice, the only reason he looked over to where Elle was supposed to be was because he wanted to look at her.

He hadn't actually noticed she was gone until they stopped in front of the secret entrance to the underworld in New York, Central Park.

Everyone was getting off of Mr. T slowly with fatigue, including Grover himself when he looked back and saw she wasn't there. He did a double take when he didn't see her dark figure through his blurry vision.

His eyes got wide, as he whipped his head around looking for her, "Elle?" He called before turning to the others, "Hey, guys, where did Elle go?"

"Yeah, I haven't heard a sarcastic comment from her in a while. What happened to her?" Percy said sitting down, getting a fire ready.

"That's what I want to know!" He said back. Why was he taking this so lightly?

"Chill, Grover. Let's just campout for the night, she'll come back in the morning." Annabeth sat down next to Percy and placed her head on his shoulder, her eyes slowly closing.

"What if she doesn't come back in the morning? What if a monster attacks her before she can find her way here? You don't even remember what she is! She is a very important person! Besides we don't even know where she fell off of Mr. T. She could be all the way back in Colorado!" He was barely keeping up with what he was saying, he could've said, 'I like eating flying squirrels' and wouldn't have thought twice about it.

The others probably wouldn't have noticed either. He wasn't even sure they were listening to the sane stuff he was saying.

Grover sank to the ground and crossed his legs, sighed, held his chin and rested his elbows on his knees as his eyes drooped until they closed.

Hang on, Elle. I'll be your hero. As soon as I take a little nap…Meanwhile… again…

I followed the smell for two hours, I probably walked 5 miles, but I followed it. The smell seemed to taunt me as it lured me toward its source and I was _so _hungry when I finally reached what looked to be a newly placed pizza parlor.

The pizza parlor was in between two tall, worn out apartment buildings, graffiti panted all over their walls, their windows boarded up. The pizza parlor looked so out of place on the street, like a flower in a cactus patch.

I walked up to the pizza parlor's glass door and looked in, just then the lights flashed on. Everything looked new, bright, shiny and clean. I would've eaten off of the floor it looked so clean.

I pushed on the door until I heard the bell on the top make a soft _Ding!_ Then I stepped in. I don't really know why I was sneaking, a bad habit, maybe?

Suddenly I heard whistling, a happy tune that you would find someone whistling if they were in an extremely good mood. Then someone walked through the swinging door of the kitchen, his lips pursed in tune.

The guy was very tall but his face looked only 17 years old, his legs and arms were so long and dense, he almost looked disproportional. He had light shaggy hair that hung over his brown eyes and cream-colored skin. His face was sharp despite soft looking eyes.

The guy reminded me of MoJo. Poor, poor MoJo…

Just as the door swung closed behind him, he saw me. He stopped whistling, studied me for a second and then smiled brightly at me, "Hello, young lady," he said warmly, wiping his hands on the white apron he wore. "Do you want some of our famous all-dressed pizza?"

"It depends… how much will it cost me?" I said, crossing my arms and glaring at him.

He laughed, "Don't worry about money tonight. Tonight you get a pizza for free! Its so people can try it and come back if they really like it." He started walking back into the kitchen, "I'll go get you one."

"Sounds great," I said, and he looked back at me. "Thanks!" I said, smiling, suddenly aware of how I probably looked. I ran my fingers through my hair, embarrassed.

He smiled at me before entering the kitchen.

I looked terrible, eyes red from lack of sleep, face covered in blood, bruises and dirt. My hair was a mess and tried to kill me on a daily basis. My clothes were in about the same shape and in a great need of a few washes too.

I stopped trying to fix my hair and sat down. What was wrong with me? Why did I care all of a sudden?

I guess a cute guy can make even the worse of tomboys want to fix their hair….

Yelling came from the kitchen. I heard two voices, one male and one female. Then the swinging door opened and out came the man yelling one last thing to the girl in the kitchen.

"Yeah, you too!" He yelled then smiled before turning to me, holding a pizza pan above his head. "Sorry, that was my sister…" He said, with an embarrassed laugh.

The smell of the pizza wafted through the air and over to me. This whole place smelled good but the guy and that pizza just smelled wonderful. It was hard to explain... It didn't really smell like pizza, it was an empty kind of smell, like air, but it also gave me this kind of feeling of youth. Yeah, that was it. It smelled like energy and youthfulness. The guy smelled the same way.

He walked over to me and sat the delicious looking pizza in front of me. It was covered in all sorts of toppings, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon… anything and everything you can imagine.

"There you go," he said with another smile.

"Thanks," I said before I heard someone exit the kitchen. I looked up and saw a beautiful girl that looked almost identical to the guy except she had softer features and longer, curlier hair.

She smiled at me, the same kind of innocent smile the man kept giving me, walked over to the table I was sitting at and stood by who I assumed was her brother.

I stared at her for a second as they both stared at me with that smile. I expected her to introduce herself or one of them to say something but after a few seconds she only said, "Well, aren't you going to eat it?"

That was weird… "Yeah," I said and looked down but something else caught my eye. I noticed that they were both barefoot, and usually I would think nothing of it, I walk around barefooted all the time, but their feet seemed to come from someone else's bodies.

Their feet were pale gray and they didn't have toes. Instead they had long yellow and black talons that curved up and then down making an arch.

I knew this scenario was too good to be true….

"She knows, grab her!" The girl screamed.

I dove over the table but felt a hand grab my ankle before I could make it over the other side of the booth. I think grabbing hold of my leg was a bad idea on their part, because I have no guarantee of what will happen to your face.

I kicked until I heard a grunt and the monster loosened his grip.

"You idiot! She's getting away," the girl yelled.

"You could help, you know!" He yelled back.

I climbed on the table and stood, "Now, children. Don't make me pull this parlor over," I said, dodging the guy monster by jumping to the next table.

"I think that your in no situation to be joking around, Half-Blood," said the woman monster, still standing where I had left her.

The guy lunged again trying to grab hold of my feet but I jumped and almost slipped on the too clean floor. I ran over to one of the tables in the middle and picked up one of the chairs that were surrounding it, "You are right, but I am in the situation to do THIS!" That's when I chunked the chair at her.

She screamed and ducked, only inches away from getting hit by the chair. It crashed into the wall, making a big dent in the plaster and almost breaking the chair in half.

"Oh, come on. We just bought those!" She yelled as I laughed at her.

This was a big mistake, to forget about the other monster that was just behind me. I don't know what it hit me with, but it hit me right in the temple. Hard.

My brain barely registered the pain before I hit the ground and fell unconscious.

That's right, kids! This is IT!! What is "it", you ask? Well this is the little authors note thingy at the bottom of this chapter, of course! :D


	20. Chapter 20

**Prom was awesome!! That's pretty much all I gotta say about not getting this out on Saturday…**

**YAY!!! Chapter 20!**

Chapter 20

My eyes opened slowly, forgetting for a second who and where I was. Then I remembered, one big blow to the head. Why is it that when I think things just can't get worse, it always does? Like my life needs to get even more complicated….

It was humid and I was sweaty. Even the concrete I was lying on seemed like the sun was beaming down on it. But that wasn't the case, it was dark, no sun in sight. The only light was a pink one through the bars of the cage I was sitting in.

The cage was only really big enough to hold two people my size and wasn't very tall, I could probably crouch but nothing more. But the bars were thick, it looked to be made out of steel and I knew that there was no way I could break through it. This is the case to use brains instead of just brawn.

I heard a whimper to my left and turned. A little girl about 10 years old that was wearing a dress and her fair hair in a bow was sitting, clinging to the sidebars of the cage and shivering despite the heat.

That was when I asked a really stupid question, "What's wrong?" I asked in a hushed tone.

She looked at me with a horrified look, her eyes saucers, her lip quivering. "Monsters," was all she whispered before looking out through the bars again as if she was waiting for something to happen.

I turned away and looked at the rest of the room. Our little cage was placed in the corner of the large room with no windows. Gray concrete walls surrounded us, along with some sort of weird contraption off to the left, which made the room look even more like a dungeon.

The first thing I noticed was three huge jars pushed against the wall next to the machine, their glowing substances inside of them lighting up the dark cave like room.

One jar had a green glowing substance inside; it was almost halfway full and was marked with large and bulky letters "Monsters". The next one had a blue goop inside but it was barely a quarter way full. This one was marked "Half Bloods". The last one was almost all the way full of a pink substance, it was marked "Humans".

I didn't know what this was but I had a very bad feeling about it.

Next, I studied the contraption; it looked like some sort of medieval torture device refined. It had a large panel with buttons, switches and levers all along it. The left side was huge; at first glance it just looked like some sort of motor to power this place. Then I looked more closely, on the far side there was a large tub sitting on a table pushed against the side of the machine, tubes ran from the bottom of it and somewhere to the back of that machine.

All of a sudden, the right wall opened to reveal the man and the woman monster. They looked a lot older, like they had aged a few decades. Their flawless skin now had wrinkles and sunspots all over their faces and arms.

They were bickering about something. They were quarreling about which one of us they would kill first. "I think we should kill the human Half-Blood first. Her energy is enormous, we can live off of it for months!" said the woman.

"Yes, but if we kill the human first then ate her energy then the Half Blood's would seem even more delicious," the man said licking his lips at me.

"Wait…" I interrupted them, "I don't understand what you two are. I've never seen anything like you before."

"Idiot Half Blood, we're like you," the woman snarled.

"What? I'm nothing like you," I said, seriously hoping she was just trying to make me mad.

"Yes, it's true that we are nothing like you in appearance, but we are Half Bloods." Then she snickered at me which made me think she was just plaything with me.

"Stop toying with her, sister," he said then turned to me, "We are Half Bloods, but not Half Bloods of the gods." Then they both turned away and went along meddling with the weird machine.

I was a little confused. If they aren't Half Bloods of the gods than what were they?

"Pull that lever and I'll get the human," the man pointed to a lever.

"Alright, as long as we get to kill that Half Blood girl right after!" the woman said pulling the lever as the machine started making loud popping noises and a low grumble.

The man took out the keys from his pocket, crouched down in front of the cage door and unlocked it. The little girl started screaming and backed away against the bars.

This was when I moved. I jumped into a low crouch and threw a kick stabling myself by putting the palms of my hands on the floor.

My foot was just about to connect with his chin when I noticed he had on a smile, an evil looking smile like he wanted me to kick him. I stopped, which was a big mistake, and he reached out, grabbed the girl and drew a long knife over her neck.

The girl went silent looking down at the knife in horror. "Try something like that again and I'll kill her," he said in a low voice.

"Fine," I said, crossing my arms and turning away. What am I going to do now? I knew I had to save her, but I just didn't know how.

A thought crossed my mind. I hoped that someone would come to my rescue. I had friends now; they would come looking for me, wouldn't they?

_You've GOT to stop relying on others so much, Elle, _I told myself._ It's just you, like it's always been._

I watched the woman pour some kind of clear liquid into the big tub as the man kept the little girl from running away. She kept pouring the liquid as it sizzled and steam came up from it until it was completely full. When she stopped she beckoned her brother to come over.

The man picked up the little girl again and started walking over to the tub. That's when I realized what they were going to do. They were going to dip her in there and that it was going to turn her into the liquid that was in that jar marked "Humans".

A bolt of energy shot through me of the fear that that girl was going to die and I could save her. I knew I could save her.

I watched as the man picked her up and held her over the tub. She looked down and started screaming in terror again.

They started lowering her into the tub.

"Stop it. Leave her alone!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, clenching my fists around the bars of the cage.

"Shut up, Half Blood," the woman yelled back at me. "Don't make me put a sheet over your cage!" She joked.

"Why are you doing this? You're half human, right? Why kill your own kind?" I yelled trying to get them to stop. She was so innocent. She wasn't even a Half Blood.

"Yes, but we're also half monster, and we kill them too!" She laughed manically.

So that's what they are, part human, part monster. I knew somebody like that once, but I promised myself I wouldn't remember….

They lowered her in until her feet touched the liquid inside, a slight pink glow started shining up on the little girl and more steam flowed out of the tub. The little girl started to sob. That's when I couldn't take it anymore.

I screamed as the woman laughed which just made me scream even louder. I screamed until I was out of breath and then I screamed some more. I screamed until my eyes fogged over and eventually my sight went black.

That's when I stopped hearing the hysterical laughing of the woman, the little girls sobbing. I couldn't hear anything except my own breathing.

It only took a few seconds for my eyesight to come back and for me to look around the room. I was still in the same place, but it was different. Roots and vines had completely covered the room. Vines had ripped apart the bottom of my cage, spilling out from the earth below me and stretching out as if they had come from me. Vines had entangled the machine, knocked the tub off of the table it was sitting on and had untangled the monsters feet so they couldn't move.

The little girl was sitting on the ground, backing away from the overturned tub and spilt clear liquid on the concrete that seemed to be crawling toward her. The monsters were pulling at the vines trying to free their feat.

The man's head snapped up at me as he felt my stare. "You," he snarled. "You did this. You called us monsters when you yourself are a monster!"

I felt a little pang in my chest as his face twisted in anger and hurt. "Monster…" he called me again.

I collected myself and turned to the girl. "Hey," I called to her. "Hey, little girl."

Fear and confusion still lingering on her face, she turned to look at me.

"The keys," I pointed to them, they were on the floor next to her entwined with some of the vines. "Bring me the keys."

Fear seemed to leave her as she nodded at me.

"Hurry!"

She got the keys and ran over to me. She slipped the key into the door, turning it and opening the door with a small smile.

I smiled back at her. I could still see the tear stains on her face. "Let's get out of here," I told her after I crawled out.

She took my hand with both of hers as we started to search for the hidden door.

"You can't get away, no one has ever gotten away!" The man yelled stepping out of the vines that somehow he untangled.

I stepped in front of the girl and stood in a battle stance, fists ready, as he walked towards us. "There's a first time for everything," I said to him.

He threw a kick at my head but I ducked just in time. That's when I swooped my foot around and knocked him off of his feet.

"You got slower," I laughed at him.

"Don't just lay there, you idiot. Stop her!" The woman screamed still having trouble with the roots around her feat.

"She just called you an idiot," I told him.

"UUUGH!" he yelled as he jumped up and came at me.

I threw my own kick using my force and his own to throw him back. He must've been really light because he flew and crashed right into his sister.

I turned around quickly and found the hidden door before his sister pushed him off of her. I took the girls hand and ran up the dark stairway, made it up to the door, which led into the kitchen. I turned around just in time to see the man running up the stairs but I shut the door to the "freezer" and locked it.

The little girl smiled up at me. "Come on, let's get you home," I told her.

I was free, for now….

I know, not my usual 'duh duh dunnn…' cliffhanger ending, but believe me I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be pretty exciting!

And just so y'all know, I WILL finish this story. I have been a little busy and am not very good at getting the deadlines done that I have given myself but I'm going to get back on track and start getting these chapters out once a week!!! Hopefully….


	21. Chapter 21

Hello again! This is…

Chapter 21

The sun just started to shine through the tall buildings as I left the police station with Sgt. Harris. It had been a very long night of stupid, needless interrogations and nearly sleepless naps on those hard metal chairs in the waiting room.

For some reason, even though they said they believed me, ten different people had to ask the same questions and I had to tell them all the exact same lies over and over again.

No wonder in movies the people that are being interrogated are always so irritable.

I told them that I had found her unconscious under a fallen shack on the other side of town. This explained the broken leg, fractured wrist and all the bruises she got.

I made up the story as I carried the girl over to the police station, which was thankfully not all that far away. She probably wasn't very heavy, but with lack of sleep _and_ food, she might as well be 800 lbs.

They believed me, for the most part, but still put me through interrogations. Something about them needing to work out all of the kinks, AKA, asking me over and over again if I kidnapped her.

My response was this: I raised one eyebrow and crossed my arms. "If I kidnapped her, then why would I bring her to the police?"

My respect for them has gone way down.

"Well, thank you again for saving that little girl," said Sgt. Harris as he waited for the taxi to arrive with me.

"No problem, Harri," I called him by a nickname I just made up in hopes of it getting on his nerves. Whoever said revenge was bad for the heart? 'Cause I sure didn't.

"Harri?" he asked, as he gave me a puzzled look. "Um, you can call me Sgt., if you want. Or even by my first name, Stephen."

"Okay, Harri," I said as the cab finally arrived. I got in while placing the bag of snacks I had asked for on the floor and making sure the fifty dollar reward they gave me was still in my back pocket.

I told the dark man in the front seat of the cab to take me to New York, Central Park.

He looked through the rear view mirror with a confused expression, "Are you sure you would like to go all the way out dere? Do you have E nuff money fer dat?" he replied with a thick Indian accent.

"Yeah," I said, letting my boredom seep from my voice. I was so tired. I wondered if Mr. "Abheek" would let me sleep in the back of his cab.

I decided that that would be a bad idea and just leaned over, placing my elbow on the side of the door and my head on my fist, pretending to look out the window. I closed my eyes….

I felt strange. I felt as if I was in water, floating, but unmoving. Everything was the same temperature and I could feel nothing below me. For some reason I could not move or maybe I just didn't really want to.

"You tried to EAT her?" I heard a deep voice bellow from somewhere close. I couldn't see where it came from though.

"We had no idea she was your successor though, milord. The half-bloods are getting stronger. We are so very hungry!" said a soft, familiar voice. I could tell just by the voice that the person whom it belonged to was cowering.

"I don't care about your petty worries! Couldn't you tell from her mere eyes? How foolish can one be? I should kill you where you stand!" The deep voice yelled again.

"No!-" The softer voice stopped short, knowing what he said was wrong. "I-I mean, lord, you have every right to kill me. But… sh-she did not have the glowing eyes of milord."

"What?" The deep voice said with surprise.

There was a moment before the soft voice spoke again. "Sire, you may not sense her because she has such weak power, but she is here. And she's been listening. "

There was a second of silence and it took me a second to register in my brain that they were talking about me. I was the one that had been eavesdropping.

A face with black eyes suddenly appeared only inches from my face and I shrieked. Its mouth curved into a smile as it came toward me making me fall backward into abyss….

I jolted awake. The strange feeling of falling still lingered in my chest as I breathed deeply, still realising it was just a dream.

"Are you alright, miss?" said the cabby, peering through the rear view mirror at me again.

"Um, yeah… are we almost there?" I asked, still a little shaken up.

"Yes, it will only be a few more minutes. You do know dat de cost of dis has almost gone over forty-eight dollar, don't you?" he asked.

I sighed, "That's fine." He was getting on my nerves just a little. And after that dream I had, pretty much anything could anger me. 'Weak power', they said! Who do they think they're calling weak?

We stopped at a red light and someone jumped in the cab next to me.

"Sir, this cab is already taken. Sir!" the cabby said loudly but the man just got in and closed the door anyways.

That's when something bad happened and my night got that much closer toward total destruction. Almost getting killed once in one night is enough! Not to mention the whole, almost getting run over by a car after I fell off that stupid hellhound….

The man pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head. I couldn't help but to roll my eyes as he yelled, "Give me all your money or she dies!"

You gotta hate people sometimes.

I stared at him tiredly. "Do you have to bring me into this? I don't like being pulled into other peoples money problems."

He looked taken aback. I guess he thought I would be scared like a little girl or something.

"What?" he asked before remembering he was supposed to be acting tough and started yelling again. "Give me all of your money NOW!"

"Yes, of cour-" Abheek started searching for his money when I interrupted him.

"No," I told the robber in an almost monotone voice.

His face slowly turned a deep red, but really, what could he do? If he shot me everyone in a 2 mile radius would be alerted and he would be to busy running away to get the money. He should've picked a different cab to rob.

"Please," I said in a You-Are-Stupid sort of voice, "Get out of the cab before you get hurt." I was being serious, but he found it funny for some reason.

"You puny little girl, hurt me?" He threw his head back and let out a booming cackle.

My rage boiled and just as he stopped laughing, I couldn't take it any more. _POP!_ I punched him right in the nose so hard that his head banged against the door behind him. I admit, I didn't mean to punch him that hard, but it felt really good.

I reached over and grabbed his gun before he came out of his daze, then turned it around so it was pointing toward him. The man held his bloody nose and collected his thoughts before turning to look at me. I'm sure I wasn't holding it even slightly right, but his eyes turned wide as I said, "Get out of the car, before you get hurt _more_."

Without taking his eyes off of me, he reached behind him, opened the door and then stumbled out. After I saw him start running away, still holding his bloody nose, I turned to the cabby, his mouth agape.

I was just too tired to brag that I just saved his life, so I held up the gun loosely and asked sleepily, "What do I do with this?"

It was 30 minutes later that I had finally found the small camp. I found Percy and Annabeth cuddled together on one side of the smoulder that used to be a fire. I didn't see Grover until I tripped over him.

"Sorry," I muttered then made myself a sleeping spot close by on the soft grass.

"I'sokay," he slurred. Everything was silent, and I had almost fallen asleep until I was awoken by a sharp gasp only a second later. When I looked, I saw Grover sitting up, eyes wide with surprise.

"Wha's wrong?" I asked tiredly.

"Elle. I have to go save her!" He said then jumped up, collecting his things hastily.

"Oh." I turned over to try and get some sleep when what he said registered in my brain and I turned to look at him. "Wait, what?"

"Elle. She's gone; I have to go find her." He was clearly still in a daze as he started running off into the trees. The sound of Grover's rustling went out of earshot quickly.

I was thinking about going and telling him that I didn't need finding when I heard the rustling return. I was almost relieved.

He emerged only a few feet from where he disappeared into the trees. "Elle," was all I heard from him. He was clearly embarrassed.

"Hm?" was all I said back.

"Welcome back."

**THAT'S RIGHT! And welcome back to me too! I thought I'd just completely stopped writing this fanfic (yes, I know, and right after I had said that I was going to finish this and gave the determined look) but I just happened to get on for the first time since I stopped, and saw this certain comment…. It was very encouraging so I decided to finish this! I am thinking about redoing the first few chapters though, 'cause they just suck! Send me you're input! (Unless you've given up on me **** ) **


	22. Chapter 22

**My creative juices have been stopped up ( ew ) as I have finished reading the latest addition to the Olympian Series that Rick Rodian has provided called "The Lost Hero". For this reason, I have tried oh so dearly to come up with this awful chapter that I tried to make make sense. So try to enjoy. **

Chapter 22

Nico heard the frantic voice of the Satyr before he saw their camp in front of the back entrance to his father's realm. He didn't think they would get there before he did, but then again, they did have one of his father's hellhounds. All he had for transportation was an old car the mortals provided him and a minion with no eyes and no ability to drive it.

The Satyr, Grover, mumbled something about a person named Elle before rushing off into the woods. Nico thought that was the right time to move but before he could, he saw the goat boy come back and he almost snarled in anger at him.

He had to get the glowing eyed girl's necklace back to his father before his deadline. And he couldn't do that with these pesky Camp Half-Blood dorks in his way.

Even though his patience was shrinking, he waited a little longer; just until the Satyr said something to the girl he stole the necklace from and then lay down to sleep.

That's when he moved. He creept from behind the tree shrouded in his black cape and hood and moved across their lowly campsite, making no sound at all.

Nico didn't really notice him walking by the lump on the ground; he was too focused on getting to the entrance. But when he felt the hand grab his ankle, he knew he had made a mistake.

He snapped his head in its direction and he searched for a face in the darkness. Then suddenly, eyes snapped open, its blueish glow bearing into him.

"Ahh!" he screamed in fear and fell backward, the hand still holding on his ankle tightly.

All he could think was that the demon was surely going to kill him.

I didn't remember making my hand move, I just woke up only a few MINUTES after I had fallen asleep, and my hand was gripping darkness itself. It was like something had moved my hand for me. Only when the darkness screamed did I realize it had a face.

It fell, and I tried to let go of it, but I think my hand just gripped it tighter.

That's when I felt the strange sensation.

I blinked not fully realizing what it was. Then I bore down on it when I understood. It had it. It had my necklace.

"Wha- what's going on?" I head Annabeth's voice say. She must've been awakened by the scream that that little twerp made. I'll kill him. Not only for waking me up, but for taking my necklace too!

I stood, and felt the kid try to break free by trying to kick me with his other foot. I had the advantage because I could see even though the sun was barely visible over the trees. I dodged a few kicked but Annabeth and Percy coming over to see what was going on made me loose the slightest of focus and _Bam! _I got a foot in my face.

My rage boiled, and I couldn't help screaming at, unfortunately, the top of my lungs, "I'll kill you for that, you rotten thief!"

I pulled hard on his leg, making him in punching and kicking range and picked him up by his collar. As I pulled back a punch that I was hoping would knock this kids head clean off, someone yelled from behind me, "Elle, wait!"

Growling, I snapped my head to the person who yelled. "Why should I?" I snarled to them. Their shocked faces surprised me, and I realised I must've looked completely ready to kill every single one of them in the now bright morning sun.

I felt my rage die as I looked down guiltily at their feet and, as much as I hated it, I lowered Nico. But didn't let go of his collar, mind you.

"Sorry," I tried to say but it came out more like, "Guys, this is the kid who stole my necklace."

"Yeah," Annabeth stepped forward. "But that doesn't mean kill him!" She rushed to Nico and grabbed hold of his arm to make sure he couldn't get away. I let go of him.

"Let go of me! Don't make me summon my dad's minions!" he struggled but Percy grabbed hold of him too.

I took one last look at the last member of our group, Grover, who gave me a stern look. I didn't really need more of a guilt trip…. Although what I actually did was not very clear to me. When you think about it, yelling at someone, picking them up off of the ground and almost punching them isn't much of a crime.

I turned to Nico, "So, are you ready to give it up?"

"Give what up?" he said nonchalantly. It was like he wanted me to punch him.

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes at him, "I can search you for it."

He gave a small smirk, "Please do."

"You little…!" I was about to punch him again but Percy gave me a tired look.

"Elle, how do you know he actually has it?" Grover said from beside me.

"I can feel it," was all I said and I swear I saw worry cross the son of the Devil's face.

I grabbed Nico's collar again and pulled him so close that our noses were almost touching. "If you don't think I'll kill you then think again. The only reason you're still alive is because for some reason these people don't want me to, but if I have to, I _will_ kill you."

I put so much kill intent into my voice that I almost scared myself. And I saw that Nico seemed to believe me too as his eyes got big and he said quickly, "I swallowed it."

I searched his face for any sign that he was lying, but he seemed a little too scared to lie. I let go of his shirt and stomped in anger, "Why the hell did you swallow my necklace?"

"I couldn't let you have it. I have to bring it to my dad!" he pleaded.

I stepped back. "Well," I started, "there's only one thing we can do then. Somebody get me a scalpel!" I couldn't help but smile. Of course it was a joke… kind of… but Nico didn't take it as one.

"No! Take me to my dad, he has the Helm of Darkness, I was planning to ask him to use it to phase threw me and retrieve it. Don't kill me!"

I was sort of confused. First, because I had no idea what this "Helm of Darkness" was. And second, why was he so scared of me?


	23. Chapter 23

**SNOW DAY! :D**

Chapter 23

So after Percy had explained to me that the Helm of Darkness was Hades' helmet that allows him to phase _through_ walls, (not threw) and that Percy had once been framed for stealing it, I knew that it would be way better than to wait 3 days for it to come out…. I know someone out there's saying "Ew" right now.

"Sounds fine to me! Let's go," I said starting to walk toward the pitch black hole in the rock.

"Wait," Annabeth said, "Shouldn't we think about this for a second?"

"No," I said, and then quoted something someone once told me. "If we think about it we'll loose the courage to move."

Everyone looked at me. "What?" I asked.

"That was surprisingly deep. For you," said Percy.

I crossed my arms. It _was_ kind of out of character for me to say something like that. "Whatever."

"What if it's a trap?" Annabeth expressed her thoughts.

It was silent for a few seconds.

Then I said what was on my mind, "So what? What else can-" That's when I had a sudden thought, and actual fear struck through me. A thought that if he, Nico, had my mother's stone, then he had at least ten times the power he had without it.

I focused in on Nico, looking closely for a sign that he was doing anything with _my_ power that he stole from me. He looked normal enough, even kind of scared like how a little kid would act.

But he wasn't a little kid, was he? He was 15, one year younger than me, and only a few inches shorter.

But this Nico, he was a foot shorter… and the feeling. The feeling I got when my necklace was nearby, it disappeared! Why hadn't I noticed it before?

Nico, or what looked like Nico, smiled. I walked quickly and grabbed his collar once more. "What did you do?"

His smile grew, "I haven't done anything yet, babe. But come closer and I will!" His eyebrow twitched and he laughed so hard it came out like a shriek, almost like he was killing hundreds of rats in his throat.

Percy and Annabeth let go and backed away like they had an idea what was going to happen, and I followed as what used to look like Nico grew long, leathery ears, a short snout and a skinny little humanoid body that looked like thick, bat like skin pulled over bones.

When he was done transforming, I asked a question that was banging on the inside of my head. "What the hell is THAT?"

The thing glared at me with puny, black eyes. "I'm a servant of Hades. I do whatever needs to be done in the Underworld, like clean the leaves out of River Styx, brush Cerberus's teeth…" his little body shivered at the thought before he continued. "You mortals probably know me as a 'house elf'. Harry Potter made us famous! Greek mythology sure didn't mention us anywhere…." Then he added a whispered, "Jerks."

"Where's Nico?" Percy asked.

The little "elf" crossed his thin arms, "Not telling!"

"What if I KILL you? Will you tell me then?" I said as threatening as I could. He seemed like he was scared to death of me, why not exploit that?

Its eyes grew big and its ears went down like a cowering dog. "I might be able to tell you something about where he went."

When Nico tricked the glowing eyed girl, he wished he could've stayed and watched her face when she finally figured out it wasn't him! But he couldn't. He had to go free her. He HAD to free Alexsa.

He didn't really care what she did or didn't do; he just knew that he had to save her. He couldn't let her be killed, especially not by his father.

That's actually the real reason he stole that girl's necklace. He didn't have enough power to defy his father, not yet, and definitely not in his realm. This… this would give it to him.

His father thinks that he's going to be bringing him the necklace, that part wasn't a lie. But instead of actually giving it to him, he's going to get Persephone to help him, not only free her daughter, but to overthrow Hades. It wasn't going to be easy, but with this necklace, it was going to be easier.

He ran as fast as he could to his father's castle. Hades didn't know about his plan yet, so he had no reason to try and stop him. But when he suddenly changes his path and runs towards the prison chambers, his father will go into berserker mode.

Nico couldn't help but be worried. The execution was scheduled for this morning at 9. What if he got there to late? What if his father succeeds in stopping him?

But in the end of all of the questions he asked, he told himself that it didn't matter. He cared about her too much. He didn't care if he got the worst punishment from his father when he died; all he wanted was her safety.

When he stopped before the giant black doors, he could feel a warm spring breeze blow past him, which held a small whisper. "You've done well," the whisper said. "My daughter and I will be free of Hades deathly prison at last."

He couldn't see Persephone, but he could tell she must be smiling.

He took one last look at the stone hanging from the frayed string the glowing eyed girl called a "Necklace" before walking through the doors.

My fellow acquaintances and me had made it down into the Underworld and halfway to, what Annabeth said was "Hades castle", when an unknown cause shook the ground and a huge, deep voice proclaimed loudly, "My son has defied me!"

Suddenly, crows and ravens came from what seemed like nowhere and flocked toward the way we were running. Bones that had been lying on the ground magically formed together, spare weapons that had been lying on the ground in their hands.

I thought we were screwed, but the skeletons just ran past us in the way the birds were flying.

I shared confused looks with Grover, Percy and Annabeth.

"Nico is in big trouble," Percy said, a genuinely worried look crossed his face.

"So what? We just need my necklace," I said to him.

He gave me a serious look. "He might be a thief, but he's a fellow half-blood. We can't just let him get killed."

I suddenly had this weird feeling that I've never felt before. I was proud. And it wasn't because I had just won a fight like usual. I guess I was just now realizing, that I would be proud to have these guys as my acquaintances. If not acquaintances, then for the first time, friends.

I was too busy thinking, that I almost got left behind as Percy and the others started running after the skeletons and birds, which were now just a large black cloud in the almost darker sky.

It didn't take too long before we arrived at the huge black castle, ominous torches hanging from the outside walls making the castle look more evil than it already did. To our surprise, the huge double doors to the castle were open. When we looked through, we saw Nico, who was pulling along a pretty looking girl with tattered clothes by the hand. And they were followed by an army of skeletons.


End file.
